An exit strategy

Since early this year, the topic of Coronavirus has taken up much of our news bulletins - for obvious reasons.

Now we are in a second wave of cases, new restrictions have come in, including the closure of churches once more; there have been complaints about the lack of a coherent plan and the absence of a clear exit-strategy.

The constant reference to the term ‘exit-strategy’ brought to my mind a conversation I had with a farmer about his plans for the future. In a situation where he was certain none of his children would follow him into farming, he had already resolved how long he would continue to farm his land. He shared with me a clear vision for the years ahead and a definite time when he would ‘call time’ on this part of his working life.

I know from experience many farmers are very different and find it hard to contemplate not farming while they remain strong and healthy. Farmers of my father’s generation were often so committed to farming that any leisure interests would not have been contemplated, as everything revolved around the farm.

The wish of most farmers will be to pass the farm to the next generation and see the work continue and prosper. However, the passion for farming is not always inherited and the question for many farmers now is what future plans are appropriate.

When I flick through the pages of farming papers and see dispersal sales advertised I often wonder what situation has led to this decision. Nevertheless, whatever the reason, they are essentially the culmination of a farmer’s ‘exit strategy’, or that of their family. The reality is, farming may be a way of life for many, but time brings change and it is important to plan ahead. To ignore reality is never prudent.

There is another reality that should not be ignored by farmers and non-farmers alike. It is the need to have what we might term an ‘exit strategy’ for life. A farmer’s strength to work will not endure forever and the Bible tells us our lives will not endure either. In fact, Scripture employs various images to stress the brevity of life. James 4:14 describes our lives as “a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” In a similar manner, the Psalmist adopts agricultural imagery in Psalm 103:15 when he states, “As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.”

The Bible also makes it clear that when the end does come for all of us, it is not simply a matter of just ceasing to exist. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27.) We will all stand before God and need to be ready. The Bible teaches us that this involves turning from our sin in repentance and trusting in Jesus for salvation. As the Apostle Paul declares, ‘“whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,”’ (Romans 10:13).

The next time you hear a political leader criticised for a lack of planning and the absence of an ‘exit strategy’, pray for them. But I also pray that you will be able to say that you have the most important forward plan in place, because you are trusting only in Jesus for a home in heaven.

Having grown up in rural Tyrone, after leaving school at the age of 16, Knox worked for over 20 years on the family dairy farm near Aughnacloy. Having felt the call of God to full-time ministry, he was ordained in 2005 serving as minister of two Presbyterian congregations for 14 years. In 2019 he was called to be minister of Aghadowey and Crossgar Presbyterian Churches in County Londonderry.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the issues raised in this article, please email Rev. Kenny Hanna at [email protected] or call him on 028 9753 1234.