**Number 4 of 5 excerpts from Andy Stanley’s book.. continuing from last week.
God often works through principles. Principles make life somewhat predictable. The cause-and-effect nature of priniciples creates the potential for predictable outcomes. Without principles life would be completely random. Principles are what enable us to plan with some element of confidence. Just as you dare not ignore the principle of gravity, wou would be wise not to ignore the principle of the path. At the end of the day, direction, not intention, determines destination. You can’t pray your way out of that. You can’t talk your way out of that. It is the way God designed the world to work.
As I write these words, I have a dear friend whose lung cancer just raised its ugly head for the second time. He was told that if it ever returned, it would probably be fatal. Our hearts are broken. But no one is totally shocked. He’s smoked since he was a teenager. Does that make it any less painful? Nope. Do I still pray for him? Yep. Does God still care? Absolutely. Will forgiveness reverse this? No. Will his teenage son learn something through this? I hope so. Does everyone who smokes die of lung cancer? No. Is God punishing him? I don’t believe so. He chose a path. He chose it because most of the people around him chose it as well. His intention was not to leave his son fatherless or his wife a widow. But direction trumps intention every time. Years ago he saw “danger” but didn’t take refuge. He kept going. And now he and the people he loves the most are suffering for it.
The principle of the path, like all principles, is universal. It is not a respecter of men. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, young or old, famous or unknown – nobody is immune to this principle. In some ways, it levels the playing field.
I know what you might be thinking. “Well, I know this guy who blah-blah-blah, and nothing happened to him! He didn’t arrive at a bad destination.” To which I would add, “Yes, but there are exceptions”. My wife’s grandmother smoked for forty years and celebrated her ninety-seventh birthday last month! But I’m not telling my kids that smoking is the key to a long and happy life. And I’m sure there are lottery winners who never saved a dime, ignored every financial principle known to man, and who are now set for life. But I don’t really consider that retirement planning. Do you?
Surely you realize that the exceptions to the rule get all the press. Why? Because they are the exceptions. And if you want to shoot for being an exception to the rule, go right ahead. But why? Why run the risk? Why not live, instead, as if life is connected? The guy who lucks out financially but who ignores the principle of the path relationally still arrives at an undesirable place in his relationships. Beating the odds in one area is no guarantee about anything else.
When you see danger on the horizon, do something. Take refuge. Whether it’s your finances, the condition of your marriage, the way you discipline your kids, relational patterns, moral standards, health care – you name it – if you ignore this principle, there will come a time when all of your options are bad ones.
Every white-water kayaker will tell you the time to scout a rapid is when you are a safe distance away. Only a fool would ignore the “Danger! Rapids Ahead” sign posted by a state forestry service. Experienced kayakers know that regardless of how calm the water is where you are, you should exit the river to check out what’s ahead. Current conditions are not a trustworthy indicator of what lies ahead. Once you hear the thunder of the falls, feel the spray, and see the tops of trees at eye level, you are committed. Your destination is at hand.
What’s true for navigating a white-water river applies to navigating your life as well. Ignore the signs, and pay the price. When it dawns on you that you’re addicted, that’s not the time to start thinking about more accountability and increased discipline. It is too late for that. When your credit cards are full and you are afraid to check the answering machine, that’s not the time to consider developing a budget and altering your spending habits. When your spouse serves you papers, that’s not the time to begin working on your marriage. That opportunity is in the rearview mirror. When the pregnancy test reads positive, that’s not the time to start reevaluating the soundness of your moral compass or whether he’s really the right guy for you.
Assuming that you are ready to abandon the way of the simple to join the ranks of the prudent, I want to give you something to do and two things to expect. I’ll cover them one at a time..
*Don’t miss the final excerpt next week!
