Won’t He Do It!
Not too long ago, I was sharing with someone about the goodness of the Lord in my life and they responded back, “won’t He do it.” I have to admit, on the inside I cringed. After all that I communicated, a four-word cliché response seemed empty and impersonal. Now I don’t believe they meant it that way. And for a person who wrote a book of affirmations, which I did, I wondered why I have a hard time accepting Christian cliches.
We all know what a cliché is: a phrase or saying so popular you hear everyone using it. Growing up, most of us heard a cliché or two echoed by a parent or senior and we may have even quoted one ourselves. “What goes up must come down.” “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” “Only time will tell.” “He’s got nerves of steel.” And this one, which I actually like, “everything that glitters ain’t gold.” There’s nothing necessarily wrong with any of these, and most can be beneficial at the right moment. But the thing about cliches is that over-usage causes them to lose meaning and effectiveness.
Christians have also passed down phrases from one generation to the next. “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” “Bless your heart.” Even this newer one, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” Now I know I’m stepping into dangerous territory. In our soundbite culture, we want something quick and to the point. Something quotable. Someone could easily say that’s what the affirmations from my book are, something quick and quotable. A New York Times writer even said about mainstream American news media that’s there’s a tendency to “adopt a superficial soundbite culture that neglects the context of critical events.” I wouldn’t say the church is neglecting context when we respond but I will say it sometime feels like “cliché-anity” has taken over. “Won’t He do it.” “We had some church.” “Favor ain’t fair.” “Come on in here.”
Maybe we should take a pause and instead of offering “cliché-anity” determine if the moment requires more. Maybe repeating a little of the person’s testimony before saying, “won’t He do it,” or skipping altogether “we had some church,” and tell what you enjoyed about the service, or quoting what the Bible says about favor offering a little biblical truth or asking the Lord sincerely to bless our gatherings and interactions with others.
I’ll be honest, connecting with people isn’t always easy. Having a catch phrase or a formulated response can make you feel current. But I have to go back to my inner cringe. Sometimes the cliché doesn’t work when given to me. It feels empty and tired out. So, why would I give it to others. Call me outdated, but I appreciate a genuine expression with authenticity.
God Doesn't Have Time To Waste Time
The other day I was thinking about a person I know who really doesn’t like being in intellectual/academic circles. I don’t know, maybe they find people in that arena snobbish and proud. Maybe their perception is distorted. Maybe, they don’t like pontificating or just personally enjoy practical simplicity. It’s interesting, because despite their dislike, God consistently affirms and opens doors to solidify their place there. They are a critical thinker and have been that way since probably childhood. They obtained an undergraduate degree from a good school. God opened a door for graduate studies and they earned degrees without, from the outside at least, an intellectual challenge. Although they notoriously scrutinize academic material, their brain is wired for it. As I thought about them, I thought, wow, they’re an accidental intellectual.
The words, accidental intellectual took my thoughts to a movie title, The Accidental Tourist. I have never seen the movie, but I am a media person who reads, so I know the movie was nominated for numerous Academy Awards and considered a best picture in whatever year it came out. The basic premise, I think, is that a man who writes travel books for people, who hates to travel, is himself on a journey and yet doesn’t know it. All the advice he’s written on how to avoid things that make travelers feel uncomfortable or maintaining a feeling of security even when they are away from home were synonyms for his own lack of emotional growth. I heard it made for a good movie about the subtleties of life. But when it comes to real life I must temper my thoughts by the Word of God. So, the notion that we can “accidentally” stumble into purpose and growth doesn’t jive with me. God is the master designer who fashions us, brings us to various experiences; but we can stay stuck. The Bible says it is God who, “worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) The word worketh indicates a continuous process. God continues, through external circumstances, experiences and His word, to bring us to where he wants us to be. This is true both spiritually and naturally. For Christians it may be easy to understand this verse as it relates to our spiritual walk, but not our natural or professional pursuits.
So, my thoughts of the accidental intellectual turned inward and bricked me. I was reminded of a great missionary to Liberia, West Africa, Mother Vera Stephens. I met this Christian soldier some years ago and was blessed to spend time with her before the Lord called her to glory. During one of our conversations, I was sharing with her my upbringing, how I was raised in the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination and how the C&MA emphasis differs from the church denomination we were a part of. Mother Stephens quietly told me, “God doesn’t have time to waste time. There are no accidents with Him. All of our experiences He uses them.”
For myself there are places God consistently sends me, ministry opportunities God commissions me to accept that make me feel like a fish out of water. There are people and groups where my feeling of security just doesn’t exist, but God is still orchestrating these experiences for my growth. Recently, the Lord told me He was moving me beyond my comfort zone. Oh Jesus! But when I look at God’s record, He has been faithful to consistently affirm and open doors to solidify the place where He’s moving me to. So, I can’t say I’m an accidental anything and neither can you; if you’re a blood washed believer. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. “ (Romans 8:28) I may have been looking at my friend, but as usual God was speaking to me. You may be uncomfortable in certain settings but God’s consistent affirmation signals that He has another view. We would all do well to agree with the Lord.
