Mr. Chump thinks he’s pretty smart.
He doesn’t need experts; he already knows what’s best.
He doesn’t need repairmen; he fixes things himself. Of course, many items turn out to be very poorly made, so parts don’t go back together the way they’re supposed to. Frequently he’s forced to replace such items. It never dawns on him how often that scenario occurs.
Mr. Chump also thinks he knows better than God.
“So many things in this world just don’t make sense,” he loudly complains to his neighbor. “For example, why did God create mosquitoes? And what’s up with the rain? Sometimes we get too much, and sometimes not enough. What would be wrong with a little balance? And why does winter have to be so cold?
“And look at this tall, strong oak tree here, with all of its tiny acorns,” Mr. Chump continues. “And then over there, on that puny, limp vine lying on the ground, huge, heavy pumpkins grow. It makes no sense.
“People talk about an all-wise God in control of the universe, but there are just too many inane situations in nature for me to believe in Intelligent Design, much less God.”
And then an acorn falls on his head. And his neighbor quietly remarks:
“What if that had been a pumpkin?”
Poor Mr. Chump. Little does he realize that:
“God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, Or said to him, ‘You have done wrong?’ (Job 36:22-23).
Or…
“What a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide?…For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore (Romans 11:33-36 TLB).
I begin to shake my head in pity for Mr. Chump, who doesn’t understand that God most certainly knows what he is doing.
Then I realize: there are times when I am no different from Mr. Chump. Oh, I may not complain that acorns should grow on vines and pumpkins on trees. But I allow negative thoughts to swirl around in my mind that sound an awful lot like complaining. Thoughts like…
…This situation is unbearable, Lord. When will you intervene?
…I don’t know why I keep hoping for such-and-such to happen. It would appear I’ve been working and waiting for nothing. Am I wasting my time, God?
…I’m frightened, Lord. What is going on? Where are you?
So what can I do to avoid behaving like Mr. Chump?
Paul’s idea in the Romans passage above is a great place to start. Paul confesses he’s at a loss, that the depths of God are beyond his reach. So he humbly sits down at the brink, and adores the depth.*
Worship. That’s the answer.
Move over Mr. Chump. Make room for adoration, gratitude, and trust.
Amend that. Move out, Mr. Chump. Your foolishness is not welcome here.
*paraphrased from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
(photo credits: www.alexandriavaappliancerepair.com ; http://www.onlineathens.com ; http://www.flickr.com ; http://www.godmeandacupofcoffee.blogspot.com )
From the Inside Out 