Main Source

One of the benefits of working in a healthcare environment is not putting much thought into my outfit.  Every morning, I simply put on a pair of scrubs and one of my comfortable sneakers.  I love it. Even though they changed the workwear guidelines and allowed some of us to wear business casual attire, I prefer wearing scrubs. Instead of wasting time putting different ensembles together every morning, I wear one of my scrub sets unless I have a meeting or somewhere to go after work. It's simple and convenient. Even when our offices are cold, we have matching jackets or vests to wear. Jokingly, upper management commented they would buy us big round glasses to wear when I said we looked like Minions from Despicable Me since we were all matching and moving swiftly around the hallways. ☺

Since wearing scrubs, I'm always looking for the right-fitting pair. Everyone has their preferences, and mine are the ones that rarely go on sale. So, I buy a few pairs when I find a decent discount. I purchased some that were fine in the waistline but too long in length. They sat in my closet for weeks until I had a bright idea. Instead of hemming them, I will cut them to my preferred length. It would be an easy fix, so I thought.

I pulled out my sewing basket and found my sharpest pair of scissors. I wasn't sure if they were fabric scissors since I usually only use them to cut loose thread when sewing, but I planned to use them anyway.

I grabbed an older pair of matching scrub pants and placed them on top of the new pair. I lined the waist of each pair and roughly matched the seams. Then, I started to cut away. I worked on one leg, removed my older pair out of the way, and then took the newly cut pant leg and laid it over the other side to cut the other pant leg. It appeared even and manageable at that point.

Believing I was done, I tucked my scissors away and proudly tried on my new pants. However, what appeared perfect on the floor was uneven when I tried them on. It wasn't that noticeable, but one pant leg covered more of my ankle than the other. I tried to adjust the waste to see if that would help, but it didn't. Then I wondered if my legs were uneven, or my cutting was off, or both. Regardless, the difference was too significant to ignore.

I realized I had made a mistake. In my eagerness to solve the problem, I skipped a few crucial steps: I didn't measure the pant legs with a measuring tape before cutting; I didn't mark the exact spot where I needed to cut; and I just eyeballed it. I also failed to measure the first leg length and try it on before using it as the pattern to alter the second one. This was a significant error, and I ended up with mismatched pant legs.

I stared at my handiwork and chuckled at my blunder. I knew that if it were my daughter or anyone who pays attention to the minute details, they would have used a ruler as their source to make changes to the pants. They would have measured each pant leg, marked it with chalk where to cut, and remeasured it before cutting the other pant leg.  

Instead of throwing the pants away, I resolved to give it one more try. I retrieved my sewing kit, found the measuring tape tucked snugly into the corner of the basket, and started to do what I should have done from the beginning. I unraveled the tape and took my time measuring each pant leg from top to bottom in several different spots to determine precisely where my cut-off line should be drawn. As I pulled out the scissors about to cut on the dotted line, the Holy Spirit, in His usual fashion, prompted me to stop and reflect on my actions. Even though it was just my pants, He taught me a life lesson. Just as I should have consulted a ruler to ensure my pants were cut evenly, I should always consult God's Word and seek His guidance first.

Sometimes, I become swayed by the advice of others rather than seeking guidance directly from the ultimate Source. Taking that insight and using it as my yardstick in various facets of my life can lead me astray. It could be off by a smidge or a lot. What makes it worse is that I may use that thought as my new yardstick to measure everything else against, and that's the warning I felt God was giving me. Just like my pants, I wasn't measuring it up to the ruler, but the other pant leg, which was already off.  

It's like the Telephone game you probably played when you were a child. One person whispers a phrase to someone, and then that person is supposed to whisper the exact phrase they heard to the next person, and so on. The goal is to have the same phrase repeated, but what ends up happening is that it changes. If you check back with the original source, you find out that one word here or there was changed, which also changes the whole meaning.  

In our fast-paced world, it's too easy to rely on the voices of those around you, even from highly respected and esteemed leaders you trust. However, the problem arises when we use their words as our main compass for direction instead of turning to God ourselves. When we do that, it's like we are naturally inclined to trust what our friends, family, or influential figures say, yet it's crucial to remember that these individuals, however well-intentioned, are not divinely infallible. And when we do follow their guidance, we tend to walk away with mismatched truth.

To cultivate a deeper relationship with God, our Source, we must prioritize tuning into His voice above all else, immersing ourselves in the teachings of the Bible, and actively seeking His truth ourselves through prayer and meditation. When we allow ourselves to be swayed by human wisdom, we run the risk of adopting misunderstandings and misaligned beliefs that can lead us wrong. By dedicating ourselves to an active personal journey of faith and understanding, we can ensure that our foundation is solidly built on divine wisdom rather than the fleeting perspectives of others.

Thankfully, I didn't have to throw the pants away. With some patience, my measuring tape, and a steady hand, I corrected my mistake and made my scrubs look new again. ☺