Playing with the Hand You're Dealt

Maybe you've heard about some of the professional football players (i.e. Chad Johnson, Antwan Boldin, Steven Jackson) who haven't been happy with their contracts this off-season. Implicit in their demands for higher paying contracts is the sentiment, “I'd be happy if the team would only pay me what I'm worth”. Or maybe there's a player on your favorite sports team who says they want a bigger role. Maybe it is one of your colleagues at work saying “if only I were in charge of things” or one of your friends saying how things would be great if that “one thing” in their life would get fixed...it sounds so simple, right?

God is clear that we are not all dealt the same hand of cards in this game of life (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-28). If you would like to have more responsibility, be faithful with God has given you...then He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come share in your master's happiness!”. If you want God to be unpleased with you, bemoan your circumstances and just try to hold on to the little bit you've been given. We are also warned that the stakes go up when we are given more by God, as we also inherit more responsibility (Luke 12:48). So let's be faithful with what we have been given and God will be faithful in granting us additional opportunities for us to show off His glory.

Following the Playbook

Have you ever not done something that you know you should do? Maybe it is because you have too much on your mind and you forgot or it is something you just didn't place enough importance on or you thought someone else would take care of it. Regardless of the reason, it was something you should have done and you didn't do it. I know that I have overcommitted myself before and not been able to fulfill all of my commitments. Maybe it is as simple as not paying attention to a friend saying they need someone to hang out with or talk to.

Jesus told us that when we mistreat others though our lack of action, that we treat Him the same way (Matthew 26:41-45). We are taught to provide simple, honest answers (James 5:12)...and that God wants us to show others mercy (Hosea 6:6). Jesus is a great example of how using the playbook and video room (the Bible) and continual communication with the Father makes the knowing and doing the right thing so natural. It is kind of like someone who has never seen a football playbook can't understand much of the information inside...but it makes more and more sense when the person spends more time in it and talks to the writer/creator of the playbook...of course, seeing the playbook executed is helpful as well. God will continually prepare us for His use if we will let Him...unlike football, helping meet people's needs and pointing them towards Him isn't a one day a week game...it's an on-call 24/7 thing.

Mice and Men

Have you ever wanted something so bad that I drove your focus in all areas of life? I know I have. I thought I was leaving St. Louis for only one year after pharmacy school to get a view of the "outside world" and then return to St. Louis for my specialty residency and faculty position. Little did I know that God had much different plans for me that would take me to San Antonio for a year and then to Dallas. I wondered why roadblocks were keeping me away from St. Louis while applying for these positions…what I didn't realize is that I was about to find a great group church, fantastic group of friends, and wonderful career in Dallas. It turns out that the best laid plans of mice and men don't come close to stacking up to God's plans for us.

You might say, "Well, that's your opinion" or "you still didn't get what you asked for". True...but let me share a few examples with you to show God's consistency in His word. Jonah was quite unhappy with God for asking him to go to Nineveh and tried to run opposite of God's will (Jonah 1:1-3). God used this experience to teach Jonah about His compassion and for people (Jonah 4:1-11). David was not happy about being chased endlessly by his enemies, but God used his circumstances to teach David about God's unfailing love (Psalm 13:1-6)…David goes on in the next chapter to say how only the fool denies God. So, let us remember that God is with us not only on the mountaintop, but also in the valley...and He is worthy of our love, worship, and obedience in both places.