MY SECOND WORD WAS PROBABLY ‘Why’ and most likely spoken on the heels of ‘Dada’. I was inquisitive and curious and after my first spanking, or very soon thereafter, I was also reflective and calculating, trying to connect the dots to see how I went wrong and how I could become the perfect child.
As it turned out, I learned I could never be perfect in my parents’ eyes, but by the time I graduated high school, I knew I was smarter than them. By the time I reached my mid-twenties, I figured I was also smarter than God.
In my mind, parents and God set unreasonable rules with expectations that could not possibly be followed perfectly, and because I was so smart—and had plenty of mistakes in which I could analyze with my logical brain—I developed my own set of rules.
I was certain that my rules were good and right because they served my purposes well, and when they didn’t, I changed my rules.
Only an idiot would follow a rule that didn’t serve his purpose.
So, what was my purpose? Of course, it was to succeed in life, but not only succeed, because I also wanted a full measure of love, respect, significance, and security.
Isn’t that what you want, too?
Isn’t that what everyone on the planet wants?
And don’t we have the inalienable right to happiness?
And isn’t happiness found in a full measure of love, respect, significance, and security?
I would venture to say that any reasonably-minded person looks back to see how he went wrong so that he can make adjustments and continue on the road to success.
But what happens if his rules are not good and right and only appear that way?
What happens if he connected the dots wrong?
What happens if, while he’s analyzing all the information at his disposal, he’s counting on his interpretation of what was good and bad or right and wrong, and his interpretation is wrong?
I’ll tell you what happens.
You’ll waste a lot of time going down the road you thought was right. You’ll scratch your head, you may cry and mourn the losses, and if you’re really smart, you’ll take the dose of humility and whisper, “Gee whiz. I didn’t know that. I was just trying to be happy.”
Worldly knowledge is powerful, but it is over-rated.
Wisdom, on the other hand, is divine and given by God.
I don’t like it that knowledge is not enough to reach success in life.
I don’t like it that many inventors, including Einstein, claimed they discovered the things that made them famous, not by their hard work and effort, but from their dreams as if imparted by something “other”.
Or Other.
I don’t like it that my parents were smarter than me, but I am eternally grateful to learn that God is.
I wish I had believed as a child that a rule is not wrong or bad simply because I don’t like it.
Moreover, I wish I had known that God’s rules were given, not only to keep me out of the ditch but so I would connect the dots and see that it was in the ones I broke—even those I didn’t know were his rules—that I felt the sting of death in my shame, humiliation, and guilt.
If I had connected the dots properly, I would have noticed the futility in the rinse and repeat of my best thinking and looked up towards heaven and not on the horizon for salvation from my dying, wounded, and battle-fatigued heart.
Thankfully, God knew I wouldn’t look up.
So, in his mercy, he sent his Son down to meet me, which, I don’t mind confessing, boggled the mind of this logical and analytical woman who thought God would never be the solution to a problem I didn’t know I had.
All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding.
God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should.
God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him. Proverbs 2:6-8 (CEV)
James 1:5,1 Corinthians 3:18-20, Ephesians 1:16-19, Psalms 111:10, Colossians 2:8, Proverbs 9:10
As always, it is my intent and hope that my words may encourage you wherever you are in your journey.
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.–Jesus (Mark 4:23)
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