“Keep the Shoreline on Your Left”
As a young teenager, my brother and I were bestowed with a seemingly simple task: steer the rental boat from the marina to our lakeside campsite. Our dad had rented a small flatbottom boat with a hand-operated outboard motor. With a measure of trepidation, he put us into the rental boat and repeated once again three simple instructions: (1) “Stay near the shoreline;” (2) “Keep the shoreline on left;” and (3) “Look for our campsite.” The plan was fool proof. Our father waved goodbye as our boat sped through the water; he expected to see us again in 15 minutes. “Keep the shoreline on your left.” The boat glided easily alongside the amoeba-shaped lake. We came to a small cove, which clearly did not contain our campsite. We veered into the lake and scooted along “as the crow flies.” Another cove. Same situation. Same choice. Another cove. Bigger than the others, but we skipped that one too. We were making excellent time – until we were not. Within 15 minutes, we knew something was amiss. The endlessly curvy shoreline coupled with many various-sized islands left us utterly befuddled. We were lost. Everything looked the same. We tried to backtrack, which only exacerbated our lostness. After hours of zigzagging blindly across the cryptic lake, we finally chanced upon our campsite. We also found two frantic parents, including our father who had just walked the entire shoreline. After not finding us, he recruited a stranger with a ski boat to commence with search & rescue. “Keep the shoreline on your left.”
In the Bible, Moses receives the Law, and in Exodus 26, the text provides detailed instructions for the tabernacle – their meeting place of worship. The curtains were to be 8 cubits and 4 cubits wide. (A cubit is the length from the elbow to the longest finger – about 18 inches). Add loops of blue material. Make 50 loops on one curtain. Make 50 gold clasps to connect the curtains. Make 11 curtains of goat hair. And so on. So, could you use 49 gold clasps? Am I to believe that one, insignificant clasp makes that much difference? And, if 50 clasps are good, 51 is better, right? As for the curtains, what if its length is almost 4 cubits – like just ¼ inch off? Surely, an entirely new curtain is not needed for ¼ inch. God would be satisfied with diligent work, even if it’s just a smidge imperfect. Who would ever know?
Moses, wisely, opted not to test God’s acceptable margin of error. In Exodus 39-40, the text provides a review of the construction efforts. A phrase is uttered 16 times: “As the Lord commanded.” The people, under Moses’ leadership, followed the details prescribed by the Law. As Moses makes a final review of the tabernacle, he finds strict adherence to specifications:
The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them. (Exodus 39.42-43
We might think: What’s the big deal? Does one extra clasp really make a difference? Well, consider this illustration. Suppose a couple was married for 10 years – that’s 3,652 days (or possible 3653 depending upon the leap years). Does a spouse expect their mate’s faithfulness for every one of those 3,652 days? Is one slip really that damaging? Surely, a faithful rate of 99.97% is sufficient. Well, we know the answer. Anything less than 100% faithful creates significant (and perhaps, irreparable) harm. The details in God’s law mirror a marriage covenant. Their adherence reflects the heart condition. A spouse remains faithful even on inglorious days because of their unalterable devotion. The tabernacle was constructed just as the Lord commanded to show the people’s unwavering commitment to God. Even when the adherence seemed asinine, the faithful people adhere to the details.
Just “keep the shoreline on your left.” For God’s people, how much harm would we avoid if we just fastidiously followed God’s commands. Not 99.97% followed them, but 100%. As you read today, what is your commitment level to God’s directives: 27.5%; 43.2%; 72.8%, etc.? Whatever it might be, can you nudge it higher? What can you do today that adds 0.1% to that commitment? Now. Go. Do.
