 Walking home today I saw a hydrangea bush with one huge bloom. And I thought, "In life is it better to have one large blossom or many small ones?"
One huge flower -- like a huge success. Many small flowers -- like many small victories. And I realized the question wasn't which one was better than the other. The real question was: What was that plant designed for? A rose bush with only one rose is disappointing. But a sunflower with more than one head is mutated. The real question in life is not whether one glorious triumph is better than a thousand tiny ones -- but am I fulfilling God's purpose for my life? Am I grateful for my miniature blossoms or jealous of others grand bloom? Am I enjoying my large blossom or complaining that I don't what another's stunning forget-me-nots (tiny flowers)? And always, am I growing more life Jesus?  We got new room numbers at work this week. And most of them were pretty straight...except one...mine. My room number was about 10 degrees off kilter. It drove my co-workers to distraction, to the point that we got a level out to prove that we weren't going crazy. We were right -- it was crooked. Or at least the level said it was crooked and we assumed the level was a reliable standard because it matched our original opinion. If it hadn't agreed, we probably would have thrown out the level and continued looking for another way to prove our point.
How often we do this in life. We look for a standard -- like public consensus -- or an interpretation of a standard -- like the Bible -- that we agree with. Often, we don't care whether it is true. Alternatively, sometimes we use our opinion as our standard and then go about build our lives based on that opinion. Even when it is not working in our lives and our "room numbers" are all obviously crooked, we cling to our opinions unwilling to let them go -- even when they don't match reality. Ps. Thank you maintenance for coming to fix my room number! And thank you for the spiritual lesson. Foxglove is medicinal. It is used for heart failure -- rarely these days, but widely enough that it is still taught in schools. It's funny, I know it's uses, precautions, and side effects -- like death. The one thing I never knew was how foxglove looked. Until now. How often we know "all" about something -- but (unless we have help) we cannot recognize it when it is right in front of our face. We know about love, but often don't know when we are experiencing it. We study God's leading and comfort and training but can't tell when we are receiving it. Our minds have the facts categorized, but the practical knowledge is limited until facts are married with experience.   Supposed to be displays a longing for a different outcome, a desire for a reality that isn't realized yet. It is for this reason that we rebel against the idea of the innocent suffering. It is why death bothers us so much. Where does this idea come from that this life isn't all there is? If it were based on experience supposed to be would be reality not ideally. But we say it as an absolute, because it is not our experience that informs us that there should be something more. It is something deeper. As Solomon says, God has placed eternity into our hearts and because of this we say "supposed to" -- because one day "supposed to" will be "forever is".
"You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:10-11 Supposed to be includes a judgment of better and asserts the belief that there are superior options. All is not equal -- going hungry is inferior to being fed, being warm is better than shivering. Supposed to be recognizes this standard. A line in reality that is set by a rational mind. The only source of rationality is a Rational Being. So, it also follows that supposed presupposes a free will by assuming it didn't have to be this way. We inherently believe we can change our minds, our futures, and our final outcomes to what they should be. But the only source of such a free will would be a Being with Free Will. Otherwise supposed to be -- is whatever will be. Yet each time we say that wasn't supposed to happen, we are giving ourselves the distinction of making a rational decision and forming intent. Everytime we evaluate or correct a situation to be as it was "supposed" to be -- we claim the mark of God. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27  Not the prettiest photo -- a black next to the legs of her mate. It's not supposed to be this way. |
The AuthorCome with me as we grow in fellowship with each other and our Savior to whom belongs the Amazing Escape from sin and death and the Amazing Journey into glorious life. Archives
November 2025
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