We were watching America's Got Talent last night (yes, I'm guilty of watching mindless summer TV) and I heard one of the acts breathily exclaiming that her WHOLE life had been leading up to this very moment. Now I won't even talk about the fact that her "whole" life had obviously not been all that long - but the statement struck me, and I was still mulling it over this morning.First off - well, duh! No matter who you are or what you're doing, all the previous events in your life got you to where you are now. Good, bad, or indifferent, your choices affect you. Your friends and family affect you. Forever. Now that doesn't mean you can blame people for your circumstances, and it also doesn't mean that one poor decision will nullify everything else you've done...
So then I started analyzing. How am I spending my moments? How much hours have I wasted reading silly magazine articles at the doctor's office (or watching cheesy television)? And the bigger question - what am I working towards? I certainly am not trying to prove to America that I can sing/dance/whatever well enough to earn a million bucks. And what if my plans don't work out? Does that mean that all my efforts were wasted? Will I be left as Job, crying out, "My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me... My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart." (Job 17:1, 11)
I think the answer can be found in Proverbs 16:1-9, 16, 18-25, 33 (The Message)
Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word.
Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
GOD probes for what is good.
Put GOD in charge of your work,
then what you've planned will take place.
GOD made everything with a place and purpose;
even the wicked are included—but for judgment.
GOD can't stomach arrogance or pretense;
believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.
Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-GOD deflects evil.
When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.
Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.
We plan the way we want to live,
but only GOD makes us able to live it.
Get wisdom—it's worth more than money;
choose insight over income every time.
First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
It's better to live humbly among the poor
than to live it up among the rich and famous.
It pays to take life seriously;
things work out when you trust in God.
A wise person gets known for insight;
gracious words add to one's reputation.
True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
while fools sweat it out the hard way.
They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
whenever they speak, their reputation increases.
Gracious speech is like clover honey—
good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.
There's a way that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
Make your motions and cast your votes,
but GOD has the final say.
2 comments:
I wonder about the many people who put their entire focus on fame and fortune only to find that they don't make the grade. What happens when someone's whole life leads up to that moment and when they get there they find that moment is hollow?
I'm glad that my life isn't wrapped up in finding approval from a TV audience.
"Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word."
I praise God for His faithful watchcare over His children. Sometimes we do make elaborate plans that aren't necessarily the best decisions for us spiritually, but God knows what is good to make us more and more holy and I am thankful that despite ourselves and our decisions, He even works through them to do His will for our good. (On a side note though...That doesn't mean that we are free to do whatever we please and think "God will work all things out anyway." We are still called to make wise decisions and seek the will of God in them.)
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