The Parable of the Rubber Band

Dave Kraft, author of Leaders Who Last, tells this story:

"We don't have the same gifts, personality, or capacity. I think people are like rubber bands, which come in all sizes and shapes. Some are small and some are large. A small rubber band can only be stretched so far. It has limits. A rubber band that is larger can obviously be stretched further. Regardless of how big or small the rubber band, it can only be stretched for so long, and then it needs to go back to a resting position. If it is stretched too far and stays there too long, it will snap."

The point of the illustration is that we all have limited capacities. We cannot remain in a  prolonged, stretched situation. We need to rest. There is always something that needs to be done. However, living a life of constant busyness with no rest brings about serious problems.

    Rest is simply an emotional or physical pause. Dave Kraft describes the importance of rest this way, "If priorities protect my purpose and passion, then pacing prolongs it." It is often overlooked that God established a day of rest, called the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3), and that He commanded the people of Israel to observe it (Exodus 20:8-11). God appointed it for the common benefit of all mankind. According to Jesus, God made the Sabbath for men (Mark 2:27). That it is included in the 10 commandments surely means that modern day Christians ought to still keep it and obey it. Rest is a blessing from God, an outpouring of God's common grace to an undeserving people.

    We all know the benefits of taking time off 1 day a week yet we don't keep it. Like the rubber band, our bodily frame was not made to stand up to incessant work without regular intervals of rest. It needs time to recuperate and heal so it can do productive work once again.  In the same way, our mind and our soul needs as much rest as our bodies.

    Pastor JC Ryle gives this warning for Christians,

"It is in the midst of a hurrying, bustling world, in which its interests are constantly in danger of being jostled out of sight. To have those interests properly attended to, there must be a special day set apart; there must be a regularly recurring time for examining the state of our souls; there must be a day to test and prove us, whether we are prepared for an eternal heaven. Take away a man's Sabbath, and his religion soon comes to nothing."

A lack of pacing in our lives leads to an empty faith. "No Sabbath" soon leads to "no God". That's a sobering thought.

    So take time off. Pace yourself. It is good for you. Don't live life running on fumes. Enjoy this often overlooked blessing from God. But remember to keep it holy. Sabbath was made for you to drop your work for a day and spend that time recuperating your mind, body and soul with God.