A Splinter of the Cross

We do right because we can’t do otherwise, regardless of what it costs.
I’m not whining; this is simply my commitment, my mission in life. My neighbor across the street doesn’t have a man or a working lawnmower. A few weeks ago, I got tired of looking at her yard, and during the day when on one was home, mowed it myself. She eventually found out and thanked me.
So it got too tall again, and still no mowing, despite my offer to loan my mower without charge. So I mowed it again today … and cut the Cox cable running into her house. Granted, it’s not supposed to be exposed that way, but it was. Since I use the same service, I notified them and told them to bill me for the repair.
Cox has a cable up to every lot here, and most trailers have a cable attached somewhere, even if the residents aren’t using the service. It’s possible my neighbor isn’t but that’s not important. She didn’t ask me to cut her yard, and frankly I broke at least one park rule doing it. I did it for myself, and I’ll eat the costs.
Since we had such a terribly light winter, the ticks and chiggers are just awful. All the other bugs are at least as bad. I’m working extra hard to control the ants this year, and they are normally pretty bad. Now they are worse than ever. So by mowing her yard, I’m reducing the pest population, because ticks and chiggers don’t like mowed yards. The old “nuisance abatement” doesn’t apply here.
I’m betting she’ll be glad I did again, probably a little embarrassed. She’ll know it was me, and if she misses her Cox cable, I’ll fess up. If not, they’ll fix it on general principle and tell me later. I’m hoping they refer to it as a quality control issue, since the cables are supposed to be buried. (Turns out later Cox did simply fix and hide the cable better.)
Jesus said to take up our cross. The meaning was be ready to sacrifice as much of this life as it takes to follow Him. I doubt I’ll be literally crucified, but I’m supposed to embrace it anyway, voluntarily. Getting a splinter while carrying it is the least of my concerns. It’s not something to crow about, but boasting on behalf of some Higher Power, since my own human nature is petty, whiny and selfish.
Truth changes people. I’d have no peace in myself if I didn’t take the small risks to do these things.