How to be Plan While Trusting God

The day started with a sweet cocktail of confidence mixed with eagerness to prove myself. Solving puzzles is a big part of any software developer’s job and I had the perfect opportunity to unravel an issue that would make a big difference for my team and our customers. I had the experience, tools, and the time, a day with few meetings, to get it done.

The day ended with the bitter taste of hours spent on fruitless tests and theories. I walked away from my desk defeated and spent the evening hours in a sullen funk questioning my skill and value.

Why do so many things in life demand all we have to give while still remaining outside our control? God asks us not to worry about providing for our needs (see Mt 6:25), but doesn’t tell us what unexpected expenses are waiting down the road. We are to take care of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor 6:19) but no amount of diet and exercise can guarantee good health.

If we don’t try, God will let us fail. But, if we do try, we’re not sure to succeed. Why is that?

The answer is easy to see in my heart. If the future were more certain then I’d fall into the idolatry of seeking salvation in the safety of plenty of money, good health, or the like. That these sources of security can crumble in an instant ought to prevent my putting undue hope in these false gods.

At the same time, if God made truth more obscure I would abandon my intellect and depend upon Him with the petulance of a child who won’t work to learn the skills demanded by life. Jesus praises childlike faith (see Mt 18:3), but those who would not work should not eat (see 2 Thess 3:10).

Where does this leave us? Well, Jesus gave clear direction to His disciples when they went out into the world: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Mt 10:16b).

Great! What does that mean?

Wise as Serpents

Scripture tells us about a very smart serpent. One crafty enough to see an opportunity and cunning enough to pull it off.

Yes, I mean the serpent who caused the Fall. “Now the snake was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made” (Gen 3:1a).

Could Jesus have told his disciples to imitate the greatest villain in history?

Perhaps to a point.

The serpent certainly had wisdom. He saw the truth of the situation for what it was. He understood God’s plan for him and God’s plan for humanity.

He had the wisdom to see it, but not the innocence to accept it.

The wise serpent becomes cunning and subtle when he is not satisfied with God’s will and strives for more.

Innocent as Doves

Scripture also tells us about a dove. When Noah wanted to know if the flood was receding, he released a dove three times (see Gen 8:6-12). First, it couldn’t find a place to land so it came back. Then, it returned with an olive leaf in its beak. Finally, it didn’t come back at all.

The dove didn’t need a ten-step plan before setting out. Noah opened the hatch and she took flight trusting that all would be well.

It wasn’t. The mission was a failure. The exhausted dove finally admitted defeat and returned to the safety, comfort, and familiarity of the ark.

Then Noah sent her out on the same mission. The dove didn’t wrestle with her previous failure. She simply went in trust.

And failed again. She got a meal of fresh olives out of the deal but had to return to her former way of life a second time.

When Noah opened the hatch a third time the dove did not pretend not to notice. She didn’t wonder why it would be different this time. She simply went. This time she had success!

The dove sounds like a better role model than the serpent until we consider that if Noah opened the hatch to simply get some fresh air, the dove would have flown out if she could.

The innocent dove becomes flighty and frustrating to others when she constantly chasing every idea that crosses her mind.

Conclusion

If the serpent were more innocent, he may have accepted God’s plan and rejoiced in it. He may have responded like our guardian angels, beings who are pleased to humbly guide us even though they are superior in every measurable way.

If the dove were more wise, she may have spent her energy carefully canvassing the area to maximize her chances of finding land. She may have wasted less time and energy on fruitless endeavors.

Perhaps peace is found in pursuing God’s will with our wisdom while accepting reality with simple innocence.

When I spent a day failing to solve a problem at work, I used my wisdom to chase my glory, not God’s. I met my limitations with entitlement instead of innocence. I made it all about me.

As we balance our responsibilities and the uncertainties of life, let’s pray for the grace to use God’s gifts of wisdom to pursue God’s will and his gift of innocence to accept any surprises along the way.