A Cheat Fix

I was working on my first major seminar paper for my post-grad studies. Less than a week away from the deadline, though not quite done with the writing, I decided to check the paper for the proper formatting. The seminary emphasizes the importance of following the Turabian style format.

I was working on the proper pagination of the paper, when I encountered an irritating problem. I couldn’t get my MS Word to do one thing right. Somehow, a page number kept popping up where it shouldn’t—the title page. I tried everything using what I knew about the software. No success. I then scoured the Internet for help. I even wrote the program associate director for Northern California. And he acknowledged the problem. He even gave me a quote: “Turabian is easy. Word is hard.” He directed me to some possible helps. But they did not provide a solution. That was that.

Then I had a bright idea. Since I couldn’t remove the intrusive page number, what if I just hid it? I clicked on the page number, changed its color to white, and it disappeared. Actually, the page number was still there, but it was no longer visible. I labeled this move my “cheat fix.”

I have to say, it was a clever move. It made my paper look right and meet the requirement. It covered the problem; but, in truth, it did not remove the problem. I even wonder if my cheat fix would work on a thesis paper, which will have a more complex formatting challenge.

Then, it occurred to me. That’s how we human beings tend to deal with things that are not right in our lives. Instead of dealing directly with the problem, finding a real solution, we resort to cheat fixes. That is, we cover up the problem, or we redirect or misdirect other’s attention away from the problem (like blaming it on someone or something else), or we downplay its significance (“It’s not as bad as …”), and many such ploys. Whatever tactic we use, we exert every effort to hide the problem instead of dealing directly with it.

That’s not how gospel works. Christ does not offer cheat fixes. For example: “if the Son sets you free, you really will be free” (John 8.36 HCSB). The Lord does not give us the appearance of freedom, but true freedom. He frees us from the guilt and penalty of sin; and he frees us from the power of sin as well. We just have to take hold, through faith, of what he offers us. Indeed, when we turn to him for forgiveness, the promise is clear: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). That is more than a cheat fix; Christ completes an authentic fix.

—Keith Y. Jainga