A Controlled Fire?

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Growing up in California I, like many others, are 
familiar with the uniqueness of the four seasons: Winter, Spring Summer and fire! (It’s a Cali thing).

These fires begin one of two ways, natural (lighting strike or heat) or man (arson or a Controlled Burn). 

What is a controlled burn/fire?

A Controlled Burning (also called Prescribed Burning) is considered by foresters as an important and ‘cheap management tool to manage’ for rangelands. The fire is able to "clean" the pastures, removing ungrazed grass, a part of the litter and controlling the density of woody plants (trees & vegetation).  

One forester site described why they do it this way:   WE USE PRESCRIBED BURNS TO CLEAR INVADERS AND RESTORE LAND (Why does that sound familiar)

In light of the recent news events…dare ask me which ones, too many!…

I submit, HATE is a FIRE that has NEVER been harnessed or controlled, yet so many have tried.

*  Whites hate Blacks

*  Blacks hate Hispanics

*  Protestants hate Muslims

*  Mean Girls hate the virgins

*  Big Brother Team One Hates Big Brother Team Two

*  Evangelicals hate Jehovah Witness

*  Democrats hate Republicans

*  Southern Baptist hate Charismatics

*  Children hate Parents

*  Parents hate Spouses

*  Pastors hate parishioners

*  Parishioners hate Sundays

The list of HATE is growing, and just like ‘controlled burns’ they are now out of control.  Because of it, this land is suffering!     

Let's look to the Word of God for insight on the RIGHT way we are to ‘manage’ the land.

Sow your fields, prune your vineyards, and take in your harvests for six years. 4 But the seventh year the land will take a Sabbath of complete and total rest, a Sabbath to God; you will not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Don't reap what grows of itself; don't harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land gets a year of complete and total rest. 6 But you can eat from what the land volunteers during the Sabbath year - you and your men and women servants, your hired hands, and the foreigners who live in the country, (Leviticus 25:3–6)


We have been commanded to completely desist from cultivating (seeking, toiling, grinding) on the seventh year our fields, and whatever produce has grown is for the community. Now that’s love!!!!  

Did we give it a rest?  Did we make provision for the poor, the weak, the lost …those with differing positions?  Or do we still pull from the list of "Controlled Burns"?   

Maybe NOW is a good time to GIVE IT A REST! 

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