If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It?

By Jonathan Jones II

July 2007, Spring Hill, TN

Things we can see clearly in real life often escape our notice when it comes to spiritual matters. Jesus used earthly stories to make spiritual truths clear. Wisdom from everyday life can help us see things clearly.

The two farmers both began farming the fertile soil of Middle Tennessee fifty years ago. Farmer Smith and Farmer Jones were both hard workers who labored from “sun up to sun down.” Both of them had new plows and young strong mules to pull them. The two neighbors had years of friendly competition as to who could bring in the biggest crop of corn. Each year they both harvested nearly the same amount.

As the years past, the world progressed and technology advanced. Farmer Smith purchased a John Deere tractor and a wider plow. Farmer Jones, unwilling to change with the times, continued to use his mule-powered plow. “Why should I buy one of those tractors? I can still bring in a crop with my mule and plow,” Jones reasoned. And so both farmers continued to raise their corn. But each year, Smith had larger and larger harvests than did Jones. Soon Farmer Jones became rather jealous of Smith’s large yields. Smith tried to convince his friend to consider buying one of the new tractors. “You will be able to till much more ground and produce a much larger crop,” Smith said to Jones. “My mule-drawn plow still produces a crop,” Jones said. “I still get a harvest, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?” And so both farmers continued to raise crops of corn. Jones kept using his antiquated methods. He produced a harvest, but it was small. Smith, using new methods and approaches produced a very large harvest. Both men were doing the same thing—raising corn. But the results were different because one was willing to use new effective methods while the other refused to adapt.

This parable is often repeated within the church. The message of God’s word must not be compromised; we must continue to plant the same seed. Yet, the results we get will depend upon whether we are willing to adapt our methods of planting to be effective with the culture in which we live. Congregations that use methods of the church of the fifties will still get a harvest, but it will be small. Churches that are willing to adapt and try new methods to reach the contemporary culture will reap a larger harvest. Something does not have to be broke to fix it. Some things that are working can be improved upon. Let us not be caught using a mule-drawn plow in a tractor world.