Knowing God’s Will – Not As Mysterious As It Seems?

For anyone who’s ever aspired to be a Christian conference speaker, there’s one sure-fire way to pack the room with eager listeners. Call it “How to Know the Will of God.” That’s a subject that “inquiring minds” always want to know more about.

 

God’s will: Is it a mystery? A conundrum? A dilemma that no one has discovered how to discern? Trying to find a needle in a haystack?

The issue comes up often enough. If we’re young and desirous of following the Lord, we wonder what His will is regarding things like which college to attend, what to major in, who to marry, and what job to take. As we get older, we ponder God’s will regarding other issues: Should we have children – and if so, how many, and how soon should we start? What kind of house should we buy, and where? What make and model car does He want me to have? What church should I attend? Should I change careers?

 

The list of questions about God’s will is beyond number. As are the sermons given and books written about the topic. Maybe that’s because everyone has a perspective on how to know God’s will – or maybe because it’s a way of attracting folks to the Sunday morning service or selling books.

 

I’m of the opinion that the will of God isn’t as mysterious or unfathomable as we might think. Because if we consistently read and study His Word, we’ll discover that through it God reveals His will very clearly. Take the Ten Commandments, for example. If we wonder whether it’s okay to cuss someone who’s made us mad, it’s right there – “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:7). If we wonder, “What if I don’t use His name?”, elsewhere we find this clarification: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). 

 

We don’t have to agonize over what God’s will is concerning things like killing people, thievery or lying: “You shall not murder…. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:13,15,16).

 

Even if people find themselves in a struggling marriage, or suddenly suspect that someone they’re not married to is their real “soulmate,” they don’t have to pray, asking, “Lord, what is Your will here?” Because He’s already told us: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). This command doesn’t offer any exceptions; there’s no fine print to address extenuating circumstances.

 

What if your neighbor buys a new car, with all the very latest features, and you’re still driving around your 12-year-old, non-electric clunker – shouldn’t it be okay to feel somewhat envious, even jealous? God’s will on this is clear as well: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17).

 

I know this seems to be oversimplifying, but in the Scriptures, God has set forth principles and truths that cast light on even the darkest dilemmas. They are woven throughout the Bible, often in the stories of His people. Again and again, we see many of them suffering the consequences of unchecked anger, deceit, greed, hatred, lust and virtually every other human vice. 

 

Years ago, before I became a follower of Jesus, I fell victim to the easy accessibility of consumer credit. Whenever I had a down moment, I’d try to cheer myself up by buying something I wanted. Not something I needed – just something I wanted. Like a new shirt, a record album, even tropical fish. All the while, I was singing, “I owe, I owe, it’s deep in debt I go.” 

 

Only later did I discover God had given a stern warning against this practice of willingly going into debt: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Indeed, I had become servant to the lender – several, in fact – and it took years for my wife and me to extricate ourselves from my self-imposed slavery which began before we got married. We did so by following biblical principles for handling money.

 

I could cite many other examples, but hopefully by now you’ve gotten the point. Just as we use an owner’s manual to instruct us on how to operate a computer, appliance, car, power tool or some other helpful device, God in similar fashion has given us His Word to guide us in how to live – how to know and abide by His good and perfect will.

 

Sometimes discerning His will is extremely simple: “Should I buy the red dress – or the blue one?” Often His answer is, “I don’t care. You pick.” Other times the decision is much more complex, but His principles are there, readily available to point us in the right direction. 

 

And we don’t have just the Scriptures, although they are a lot more than we often realize. God also gives us His Spirit to give us wisdom, insight and understanding. Luke 11:13 says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” And to this 1 Thessalonians 4:8 adds, “Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.”

 

So, how can we know God’s will? It’s right there in His Word, interpreted by His Spirit, and if we are fortunate enough to have godly friends, the Lord can speak to us through them as well. It’s a matter of staying closely connected to Him. As Jesus told His disciples, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).

Is God’s Frown Your Greatest Dread?

Have you ever loved anyone so much that you couldn’t imagine disappointing them or betraying their trust? Perhaps it’s your spouse, or when you were growing up, it might have been a parent. Maybe it was another beloved relative, or your best friend. Would it be accurate to say you minded your proverbial P’s and Q’s because you feared letting them down?

 

Growing up, I wanted my parents to be proud of me. I didn’t want to do anything that would hurt them. I also had an uncle that I had great admiration for, and the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint him by making poor decisions. So, I cultivated a healthy fear not only of the direct consequences of wrongdoing, but also the pain it might cause those I loved.

 

I think this is what the Bible is referring to when it speaks about “the fear of God.” 

 

There are those who perceive God as a kind of cosmic spoilsport, observing from on high and eagerly anticipating our getting out of line so He can punish us. After all, didn’t He turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt when, contrary to the Lord’s command, she turned to glance back at Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:26)? In Joshua 7, didn’t God call for harsh judgment on Achan and his family for defying instructions not to take any plunder from Jericho? 

And weren’t Ananias and Sapphira brought to life-ending judgment after their lies about property they had sold and the partial proceeds they gave to the early Church? After all, it does say, “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Acts 5:1-11)?

 

Our omnipotent and sovereign Creator has every right to do anything He wants. The Bible makes no attempt to hide examples of His stern judgment. But “fear of God,” as the Scriptures express, generally refers to the sense of great reverence and awe we should have in our relationship with the Lord. In the New Testament, and through the life of Jesus Christ, we see many manifestations of His unconditional love; His wonderful mercy – not receiving what we deserve; and His grace – receiving what we do not deserve.

 

Reverential awe is an appropriate response when we read passages like, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), and “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

 

Before I became a follower of Jesus and began to grow in my understanding of who God is, who I am in His sight, and what He expects of me, I probably had moments when I fully expected to be struck by a bolt of lightning if I did things I knew He wouldn’t approve of. But then I started to grasp the meaning of the words from the old hymn, “Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.”

 

This puzzlement about what it truly means to fear God is hardly a new development. Eighteenth-century Scottish pastor and theologian John Brown found this necessary to address for his congregations and readers of his comprehensive commentaries. In one of his writings, Brown stated it this way: “To fear God is to love Him so that His frown is your greatest dread, and His smile is your greatest delight.”

 

In 1 John 4:19 we’re told, “We love because He first loved us.” In the preceding verse it says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” So, if we’re children of God, we need not fear vindictive punishment; on the other hand, our love for the Lord should agree with the idea that His frown would be our greatest dread – but His smile is our greatest delight and desire.

 

As the apostle Paul expressed in a similar way, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). If we can even begin to comprehend and appreciate the unmerited, inexhaustible love of God, how can we not feel compelled to respond in kind?

Nothing Quite So Tempting as Temptation

“I can resist anything – except temptation!” Have you ever heard someone say that? Have you ever thought that yourself, or felt that way?

 

Temptation is insidious. It’s also highly individualized. What tempts you might not tempt me, and vice versa. But temptation is as universal as air and gravity. There’s no escaping it. It made its presence known with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and it’s been plaguing humankind ever since.

 

If you ever wanted proof that the Bible is not a collection of varnished, idealistic stories and philosophies, look no further than the lives of biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson, David, Solomon, and even the apostles. Each of them looked temptation square in the face – and in various ways, succumbed to it.

 

This is why 1 Corinthians 10:12 candidly warns, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” We’re never to become so smug as to believe we’re immune to sin’s enticements. If David, who walked so closely with God for so long, or Solomon, reputed to be the world’s wisest man, could fall victim to temptation, why would we think we couldn’t become ensnared as well?

 

We don’t have to go around looking for temptations. They’re all around us – they’ll find us. They can appear with a click of the TV remote, a glance at our computer or smartphone screens, or as we walk down the hall at work. (That is, if you actually go to work in these days of Zoom meetings and virtual offices.) Temptations are everywhere – there was even an old Motown group by that name!

 

As I’ve met with men in mentoring relationships and we’ve discussed temptation and sin, as is almost always the case, we’ve realized several important realities. One is that there’s a big difference between being tested and being tempted: Testing is an opportunity to grow spiritually; temptation is to fall spiritually.

 

James 1:12-15 expresses this truth very clearly:

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

 

Look at it this way: If you go to a gym and start working out with weights, you start with a weight you can handle and then gradually work up to heavier ones, seeking to test your muscles and become stronger. Temptation, on the other hand, is when you leave the gym you stop by a local ice cream shop for a super-sized milkshake or banana split, thereby undoing the benefits of your exercise.

 

Another reality about temptation is that what we’re facing might seem as if we’re the only ones who have encountered it, but it’s not. The first part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man….” Your particular temptation may seem especially burdensome, but you’re not unique. Others have faced very similar challenges – maybe encountering them right now.

 

In fact, we can’t even pray, “Lord, You just don’t understand!” Because He does. Hebrews 4:15 informs us, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” If we’re wanting to offer the excuse, “I can’t help it,” Jesus can respond, “Been there. Faced that. Didn’t sin.”

 

There’s one more truth about temptation worth considering, one that’s very good news. The remainder of 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, “and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 

 

If we’re willing to submit to the Lord in obedience by faith, He promises to deliver us from whatever form of temptation that’s confronting us. In fact, He will even provide “the way of escape.” This is not simply one of many possible ways, but THE way – through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us.

 

This is a far better option than trying to power through the temptation in our own strength, or even calling a friend or sponsor to talk us out of it. When we cry out, “Lord, I can’t!”, He nods and says, “Yes, I know, but I can – will you let Me do this through you?”

 

As Jesus said in another context – but a principle that applies here as well – “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). We all will have to deal with temptation, but that doesn’t mean sin is an inevitable result.

It’s Uncanny What a Pelican Can Do That We Cannot

What’s your favorite bird? The cardinal, with its bright red plumage? Or the blue jay, another crested specimen in an equally beautiful blue? How about the wobbly-walking penguin, with its tuxedo-like color scheme? Or the stately bald eagle, appropriately chosen as a symbol of American pride and grandeur?

Perhaps your choice would lean toward a more domesticated variety, like a parakeet, canary, cockatoo, or even a parrot. My personal favorite? As was reaffirmed during a recent trip to Daytona Beach, Fla., it’s the pelican. What? That ugly bird? Well, yeah, but not because it has a face only a momma bird could love.

Over the years I’ve observed pelicans at a variety of beaches on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Each time I’ve been amazed by these skillful fish hunters. They can seem so unpresentable up close – at least when compared to their feathery counterparts, like gulls, puffins, gannets, petrels and terns. (Did you know that one good tern deserves another?) And yet, when flying in formation, gliding along the wind currents as they soar effortlessly overhead, they collectively become a thing of beauty.

 

To me, pelicans provide a powerful visual metaphor for how we must look to God. Ephesians 2:10 declares that we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” However, in His holiness and righteousness, we must sometimes look anything but glowing examples of His workmanship.

 

Earlier in the same chapter it states, “As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sin, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world…gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts…” (Ephesians 2:1-3). Not a very pretty picture; as such, we appeared to be anything but being godly, created in the image of God, as Genesis 1:27 tells us.

 

And yet, to return to the example of Mr. Pelican, he’s been created specially and specifically by God: Beady eyes that work perfectly for spotting fish far above the surface of the water. Its mouth equipped with muscles to pull the flexible lower jawbones outward to form a large pouch suited for catching and transporting its fishy prey. And wings that not only propel it quickly over the water, but also enable it to soar far overhead. 

 

Relating this wondrous design to humans, God’s consummate creation, we can recognize that just as He devised a unique design for the humble pelican, He also has a purposeful, one-of-a-kind design for each of us. As Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made….”

 

When we are doing what the Lord created us to do, whether it’s raising children, giving a speech, tending to the sick, teaching students, starting a new business, writing a book or dancing on a stage, the Lord must marvel at us with delight. We become transformed, flaws and foibles unseen, like the gawky-looking pelican flying aloft with others in formations that would rival that of precision-piloted jet fighters.

 

As God declares in Isaiah 43:6-7, “…Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” When we’re engaged in pursuits the Lord has prepared for us, we have the privilege of bring Him honor and glory.

 

Speaking of how He revels in turning the hearts of His rebellious children back to Him, God says, “When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob and stand in awe of the God of Israel” (Isaiah 29:23).

We might not be capable of soaring high above, carried about by the winds, or diving swiftly into the ocean to capture fish in our mouths. (I’m kind of glad we can’t do the latter.) But when we go to work as ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20); or train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6); or love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), I suspect we bring even more joy to the heart of God. 

Discovering Strength in the Midst of Weakness

In our culture – most cultures, in fact – we practically worship strength. It’s been like that for as long as anyone can remember. Years ago, advertising gave us the image of the beefy beach bum flexing his biceps in front of swooning bathing beauties while a 100-pound weakling looked on in envy.

 

In sports, fans stare in awe at the massive offensive lineman in football who blasts openings in the opposing team’s defense for the running back, or his defensive counterpart who flings blockers aside as he races toward the quarterback. Baseball has hulking sluggers and their tape-measure homeruns, and in basketball we “ooh” and “aah” at towering athletes slam-dunking balls through the nets.

The movies depict strength in many ways. Superheroes, straight out of the comic books, muster their powers to engage in the perpetual battle of good vs. evil. Superman never imagined the feats of strength 21^st century superheroes perform. If you’re more into the animated types of heroes, you might remember characters like Popeye (with his spinach-infused biceps), the flying rodent Mighty Mouse (“Here I come to save the day!”), and even the villain-vanquishing Underdog, with his patented words of assurance, “There is no need to fear. Underdog is here!”

 

Our real-life, everyday world showcases strength in myriad ways. There’s military might, of course. And economic power. Political parties revel in flexing their executive and legislative muscles while they’re in power. The media seek to influence and even shape society through the power of the spoken and printed word. And in the work world, people in positions of leadership often leverage their strength to advance their agendas.

 

In the Bible, however, we find things much the opposite. As it says in 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” The reason is simple: The Lord desires to receive the glory and honor He deserves, so He works through us despite our weaknesses and inadequacies.

 

Think of shepherd boy David, long before he rose to become king of Israel, conquering the towering giant Goliath, all nine feet of him, without using a conventional weapon of war. Veteran Israelite warriors had cowered before Goliath, so God manifested His power through li’l ole David, armed only with a slingshot and stone. As David had declared to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).

 

How about Gideon, whom God called to lead the Israelites against the powerful Midianites? When the angel of the Lord charged Gideon to lead Israel against the massive Midianite army, he argued, “… ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together’” (Judges 6:15-16). To ensure that the Israelites didn’t take the credit for victory, God even commanded Gideon to reduce his troops from 22,000 to a mere 300.

 

Strongman Samson had to lose his famous hair and eyesight before God would use him to exact vengeance against the scheming Philistines. In the moments before his death, Samson prayed, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines…” (Judges 16:28). The Lord indeed strengthened Samson after he had been paraded into the pagan temple; pushing against the supporting pillars, we might say Samson ‘brought the house down.’

 

There are so many other biblical examples of God working through human weakness, but there’s perhaps none better than the apostle Paul, once a proud Pharisee who was humbled when he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Truly converted and transformed, Paul spoke often of his total dependence on God. Lest he might forget, the Lord gave him a “thorn in the flesh.”

 

Speaking of the debilitating impact of that unidentified “thorn,” the apostle Paul stated, “But [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

 

What does this have to do with us? Aren’t we often encouraged by friends to “be strong” in the face of adversity? The principle is simple: During times of crisis, while we may be tempted to rely on our material resources, our mental and physical capabilities, and the help of others, God wants us to realize that our trust should be in Him alone.

 

This is a lesson best learned before circumstances become desperate. The Lord wants us to depend on Him at all times, not wait until we’ve exhausted all other possible options. He desires for us to wake up every morning and go to bed each night with the same thought running through our minds: “The Lord is my strength and my song, and He had become my salvation,” as it says in Exodus 15:2 and Psalm 118:14, and expressed similarly in many other passages.

We’re admonished in Ephesians 6:10 at all times to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Contrary to what our culture tells us, being weak isn't a bad thing.

Puppies, Infants and Challenges of Spiritual Growth

My granddaughter Rhyan holding 
"Honey" when she was a pup.

Aren’t puppies cute? They quickly run here and there, bounding around to check out all the things that are new to them. As their teeth start to come in, they chew on everything. They’re full of reckless energy, except for the moments when nature calls and they squat. Oops! Even then, we accept it because they’re little and we know they’ll become house-trained and grow out of it.

The same holds true for babies. They gurgle and giggle, wide-eyed with every new experience. After a while they discover the novelty of standing up, then take their first unsteady, halting steps, taking little tumbles but learning to get back up. Of course, there’s that diaper thing, but it’s okay because we know they’ll become potty-trained and grow out of that.

 

But what if they didn’t “grow out of it.” How would you react if the little pup continues chewing on everything in sight as it gets bigger – and continues using the entire house as a restroom? Not so cute then, huh? And if the baby grows up, but still can’t walk properly, continues speaking only in infantile gibberish and never grasps what the toilet is for? We’d start to worry, because clearly something’s not right.

 

Have you ever considered that this is true spiritually as well? We often use the broad term “Christian” to describe someone having saving faith in Jesus Christ, but just as humans can be infants, adolescents, teenagers, young and older adults, followers of Jesus also can be on different levels of spiritual maturity. If, after a reasonable period of time, we’re still experiencing spiritual infancy, something’s wrong.

 

The apostle Paul addressed this in one of his letters to believers in ancient Corinth. He chided them, “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?” (1 Corinthians 3:2-3).

 

We find similar concern expressed by the writer of the book of Hebrews: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrew 5:12-14).

 

For babies, a steady diet of milk is fine. In fact, it’s usually just what the doctor orders. But as they get older, it’s time to move on to more complex forms of food. The same principle applies to spiritual growth. Hunger for God’s Word, wanting not only to hear it but also to understand it and use it in our lives, is one evidence of a growing Christ follower. We can study it, memorize it, meditate on it, integrate it into our daily behavior, and share it with others.

 

Another evidence of growth in our walk with God is a desire to experience a deeper relationship with Him. In the Amplified Bible’sexpanded translation of Philippians 3:10, the first portion reads, “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly….” We could ask ourselves, “Does this describe me?”

 

Years ago, I had a friend who had spent much of his life investing in other men, mentoring and discipling them toward spiritual maturity. He often said he looked for FAT men – not individuals suffering from obesity, but people who were Faithful, Available and Teachable. They showed themselves to be reliable and ready to learn. This too is a mark of a growing, maturing believer. Writing to his protégé, Timothy, Paul gave these instructions:

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

 

The list could go on, but one other evidence of spiritual growth and maturity is “spiritual fruit,” a consistent demonstration of Christlikeness through the things we do and what we say. 

 

After citing “acts of the sinful nature” that are seen in both non-believers and immature believers – including such things as sexual immorality, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition and envy – the apostle Paul described “fruit” of a growing spiritual life: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

 

He wasn’t saying we must exhibit each of these perfectly at all times, but progress should be evident, especially in areas where we have personally struggled. Such as overwhelming anxiety, impatience, lack of concern for others, and failure to control our tempers. 

 

In his second letter, the apostle Peter referred to this as being able to “participate in the divine nature.” He wrote: 

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).

 

Reading this, we might think, “Wow! According to this, I have a long way to go!” But that’s the point. The spiritual life isn’t a destination, but a lifelong journey, including the “two steps forward, three steps back” experiences we all encounter. 

It seems daunting, but if we are genuine followers of Jesus, we have this assurance: “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion to the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). To which it would be appropriate to add a hearty, “Amen!” 

Time-Honored Tradition of Passing the Buck

Those of us who are parents know children master the blame game very early. Something happens, like a lamp crashing to the floor or a sibling crying out in pain, and the child “perpetrator” quickly declares, “I didn’t do it!” or, “He (or she) did it!”

 

As we get older, we refine our skills at the blame game – or as it’s often called, “passing the buck.” That term, I’ve learned, originated during the American frontier days, when poker players used a marker such as a knife with a buckhorn handle to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player wished not to deal, he would delegate that responsibility by passing the “buck.”

Perhaps one day scientists will discover a “lack of responsibility” gene, because eager participation in the blame game seems universal. In business, when a company’s performance declines, executives are prone to point fingers in every direction but their own. When a prima donna pro athlete drops a sure touchdown pass in the end zone, he tries to explain why someone else was at fault. Politicians are particularly astute at casting blame away from themselves.

 

In fact, the phrase, “The buck stops here,” was popularized by a politician who refused to engage in the blame game. President Harry S. Truman kept a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that declared, “The buck stops here,” acknowledging the President has to make important decisions and accept ultimate responsibility for the consequences of those decisions. Unfortunately, many of Truman’s successors apparently did not share that noble conviction.

 

But if we desire to trace back to when the casting of blame – passing the buck – originated, we don’t need to search any further than the third chapter of Genesis. God had commanded Adam and Eve, ”You are free to eat from any tree in the garden [of Eden]; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16).

 

Reading that, it seemed reasonable enough. Any tree except one. But like telling a toddler not to touch a hot stove and seeing the little one reach out to touch it anyway, the first man and woman yielded to a challenge from the serpent (Satan) and decided to check out why such good-looking fruit was off-limits. The result is what theologians refer to as, “The Fall.”

 

Adam and Eve didn’t stop there, however. They decided to compound the error. When they hid from God for the first time because of their sudden realization that they were naked, the Lord responded, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:11). This inspired Adam to become the world’s very first buck-passer.

 

Man #1 replied, “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Turning to Eve, God said, “What is this you have done?” Eve proved to be equally adept at passing the buck when she responded, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12-13). Comedian Flip Wilson many centuries later would popularize this excuse by claiming, "The devil made me do it!"

 

They not only reacted defensively, but also sought to redirect responsibility. Eve blamed the serpent, but Adam wasn’t satisfied with blaming Eve. He implicitly accused God when he said, “The woman You put here with me.” Ole Adam might as well have said, “It’s actually Your fault, Lord, because this partner you provided for me was defective. She led me into temptation.” Talk about audacity!

 

It didn’t stop there. Throughout the Scriptures, we find the main characters stumbling into sin of one kind or another. In many instances they stubbornly refuse to acknowledge their guilt, desperately looking for a scapegoat to shoulder the blame. 

 

King David was one of those, who foolishly thought his adultery with Bathsheba and attempt to cover it up by ordering the death of her husband, Uriah, could be swept under the proverbial rug. He thought he’d gotten away with it until he was confronted by the prophet Nathan. To David’s credit, he finally decided that “the buck stops here” and fessed up.

 

We find this powerfully declared in his psalm of repentance, Psalm 51. He wrote, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You [God], You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:3-4).

Maybe we all should follow his humbled example. Maybe we, our society and our world would be a lot better if there were less buck-passing and more blame-accepting. 

The Never-Satisfying Nature of Money

With our nation struggling to cope with an inflation rate unseen for decades, money is on the minds of many of us. The problem of too much week remaining at the end of one’s pay is common. As prices soar for gas and food, along with cars, housing and many other commodities, who can blame us for fretting over the effect they’re having on the family budget?

 

However, even in the best of times, people spend countless hours worrying over money – including the very rich. One might think that individuals possessing wealth that most of us can’t even imagine would be immune to such concerns. That’s not the case. Years ago, when asked how much money is enough, one super-rich business magnate famously responded, “Just a little bit more.” I suspect that remains the perspective of billionaires today whose names regularly appear in the news.

 

To understand what this must be like, we have no better authority than King Solomon of ancient Israel. Thousands of years ago he was known not only as the wisest man of his time – perhaps of any time – but also the richest. Solomon wrote about the futility of every pursuit his vast wealth afforded to him: 

“I thought in my heart, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’… I undertook great projects…. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well – the delights of the heart of man…. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure…” (Ecclesiastes 2:1-10).

 

Can you imagine that? Having such a massive supply of wealth that he could indulge in anything and everything that crossed his mind? What’s even more amazing was his conclusion from all of his pursuits: “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

 

For folks like us who have known what it’s like to live from paycheck to paycheck, that sounds almost inconceivable. We think, “No me! If I could just get that pay raise I’ve been wanting, or better yet, if I won the mega-lottery, I’d never complain about money ever again!” 

 

But as the great sage Lee Corso has often said, “Not so fast, my friend.” Here’s what the wise and rich Solomon had to say about the perpetual pursuit of money: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them…the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12).

 

I’ve often wondered why the super-rich (at least most of them) seem relentless in their quest for more. We hear of affluent businesspeople, politicians, pro athletes and athletes who seem dissatisfied no matter how many zeroes they have after the first number of their net worth. However, when material possessions serve as the only perceived source for personal happiness and fulfillment, I suppose “enough” is never enough. As Solomon observed in Proverbs 27:20, “Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.”

 

Some of us might be thinking, “Well, I’d still like to give being rich a shot.” The Bible doesn’t condemn wealth per se, but as Jesus Christ pointed out, money has a way of commanding our attention and energy. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13).

 

That still might not set our minds totally at ease in the face of runaway inflation, but Solomon offered this balanced outlook: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).

 

Hopefully, the time will come – sooner than later – when the rate of inflation will return to a manageable level, putting less strain on our checkbooks. But even then, as King Solomon perceived, it’s best to maintain a right perspective: 

“Then I realized that is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19).

God never promised to satisfy all our wants, but as Philippians 4:19 attests, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  That’s an assurance on which we as His children can cling. 

Would You Have Chosen the Life You Have?

When we’re young, anything seems possible. Options are many and the future seems filled with unlimited opportunities. As we advance well into our adult years, however, we discover some of the doors that seemed wide open have closed – if they were ever really open in the first place. Some dreams will never be realized, and the future looks different than what it once did.

 

We don’t have the luxury (at least yet) of entering a time machine and going back into the past to make changes and course corrections for our lives. Most of us can still make some adjustments for the future, but guardrails have been established that limit the path we’ll be able to take.

 

So, perhaps in a reflective moment or two, we might ask ourselves: “Would I have chosen this life, the life I have now?”

 

Some people might respond with an enthusiastic, “I wouldn’t change a thing!” Others wish they could make a few changes but are relatively satisfied with how things are turning out. Still others are less positive, with thoughts filled with “woulda, shoulda, coulda” types of regrets. 

 

Looking back over the course of our lives, we recognize some things were out of our control. Other things, however, resulted from choices and decisions we made, and we’ve had to deal with the consequences, good and bad. Since we can’t change the past, how do we handle the present – and the future?

 

Joni and her husband, Ken Tada,
on the cover of her 1986 book,
"Choices & Changes."

Years ago, when I was a magazine editor, I had the privilege of interviewing Joni Eareckson Tada, an internationally known and greatly admired quadriplegic. She became paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident as a teenager, yet became an accomplished author of many books, artist, speaker, and even singer. Joni has achieved more, despite her disabilities, than most able-bodied people could dream of doing.

I’ve not talked to Joni since then, but from her subsequent writings and interviews I’ve learned she has experienced ups and downs in life similar to what we all have. What if Joni hadn’t chosen to dive head-first into that shallow lake? If she could, would she have chosen a different life?

 

Thinking back to that interview, I feel confident she would not choose a different life. Joni told me, as she has said many times in various settings, “I shudder to think what my life would have been like if I had not become paralyzed.”

 

What an amazing statement! I recall her explaining that the trajectory to her life prior to the accident had not been good; her relationship with God had not been growing. After her injury, the process of adjusting to her life and limitations was extremely difficult, but she gradually began drawing closer to the Lord. Joni started tapping into the creative gifts and abilities He had given to her, and she discovered a very special calling.

 

Over the years, her books, artwork and spoken messages have touched millions of lives and inspired many to accept and overcome whatever their earthly limitations might be. She founded a wonderful ministry, Joni and Friends, dedicated to serving children and adults with disabilities. It’s unlikely she could have accomplished anything approaching these things had she not become disabled and forced to trust and rely on God every moment of every day.

 

One day she will shed the shackles of her earthly body and enter the presence of God, being able to jump, run and dance. But if given the chance to press “Rewind” to prevent her life-changing dive into that lake, I doubt if Joni would, given the course her life has followed since.

 

My own life certainly hasn’t followed the track I anticipated, even though it can’t compare to what people like Joni have experienced. If I had been able to plan things out, I couldn’t have guessed what opportunities God had in store for me. My marriage, family, career, relationships and travels all have far exceeded my greatest hopes.

 

This is why two of my favorite Bible verses speak of how God delights in doing the unexpected and unimaginable. In Jeremiah 33:3, for example, He declares, “Call on Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” 

 

And Ephesians 3:20 assures us that the Lord is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” I have seen this to be true not only in Joni’s life and my own, but in the lives of countless other people I have gotten to know through the years.

 

Ultimately, it comes down to having faith that God knows exactly what He’s doing and is never surprised or caught off guard by what we do or fail to do. A promise He gave to the Israelites thousands of years ago still applies today for everyone who is a member of His eternal family, His chosen people. He said, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 33:3).

 

If at times we’re prone to wonder if the life we have is the one we would have chosen, it might be reassuring to know that from the Lord’s point of view, it’s exactly what He had in mind for us.