Yes, my birthday! And Yes, it happens to fall in what is worldwide recognized as “Pastor Appreciation Month.” So Yes, I’m certain I’ll be deluged with gifts and compliments today.
The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
But the simple go on and suffer for it.
Today, the church is stretching its imagination and resources to celebrate its pastor’s birthday. As I understand it, I am now entering my 34th year.
So when will I learn? I’m writing this a week before the momentous event, and just after the start of our Fall Conference. Last night was a special night. Even the rain, which I had regretted, added something to the coziness inside. After the sermon from Pastor Olson, we were treated to already-baked smores, coffee, and harvest revelry in Founder’s Hall.
All this to say that I slept only 3-4 hours last night. Not that we ended that late (though it was past my bedtime). But I had two cups of coffee – Jessica made it particularly strong – plus 1.5 smores. And all that dropped down into an empty stomach. At 1 this morning I was in our living room staring at our window, “watching the time go away.”
The failure to look ahead and take the future seriously is a classic sign of immaturity and naivety. Of simplicity. There are bends in the road that are coming. To ignore that fact invites suffering.
The people of God have long been marked by the wisdom of looking ahead and planning for a time that is not yet.
In some of the gray areas of Christian life, you need to keep your opinions between you and God. (Of course, this is not to say that you isolate yourself, let your opinions not be at least partly shaped by interaction with and the provoking of others.) Don’t trumpet your ideas before others to their harm.
But, as Paul finally reminds us, make sure you are truly convinced of your ideas! To think thoughts and do deeds which you even vaguely uncomfortable with is wrong. Going ahead while ignoring a nagging conscience implicates you; even if the deed might have been – in the absolute sense – perfectly legitimate. We are people of faith, and not doubt.
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