Else You Will Be a Trifler

“Whether you like it or not,

read and pray daily.

It is your life.

There is no other way;

else you will be a trifler all of your days.”

— John Wesley

It wasn’t a dream.

“But I haven’t even answered one question!”

Time was up.

Everyone else had turned in their tests.

I had sharpened not just one but three brand new pencils. Two were neatly arranged up by the top of my desk, the other in my hand.

My name was legible. Clearly written and easy to read, in the upper right corner of the page where it was supposed to be. Admirably so.

I understood the first question. Had even diagrammed it to be sure no nuance went unnoticed.

But now time was up, and I’d not gotten around to writing anything as my answer in the space provided.

And that’s the point at which I’d wake up. Sure wouldn’t have called that a dream; it landed with a plop in the nightmare category.

In it, I’d spent so much time getting ready that I had no time left to attend to the task at hand. Preparation prevented performance. My attention had been focused on the wrong things.

On August 17, 1760, John Wesley wrote to a friend and said, “Whether you like it or not, read and pray daily. It is your life. There is no other way; else you will be a trifler.”

A trifle is a fluffy English dessert. It’s also something that does not have much value or importance. Mr. Wesley advised against being like that.

You and I know people who “major in minors” as my mom loves to say. People who are always on the diving board but never jump into the pool. Those with great form but no content. None of this is for you.

What will you do to not “be a trifler” today?