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“Don’t Blame the Dealer”
On Labor Day, we went fishing. It was supposed to be a very nice morning, with partly cloudy skies and no precipitation.
Before departing, I looked into the early morning sky expecting to see the stars shining. Instead, I saw clouds. Lots of them. I checked the forecast. No chance of rain until noon. Light wind and partly cloudy skies. That’s not what I was seeing, but I’ll trust them.
“They” were wrong.
It rained three times on Labor Day morning, twice chasing us to the bank and the third time chasing us home. The wind, which wasn’t supposed to be an issue, was a problem the entire day, except for the trip home. It was blowing so hard that we easily beat the third storm home before the bottom fell out.
Have you noticed that “They” are almost always wrong? Rarely do we have something good to say about those people upon whom we can cast blame. Their predictions should have been more accurate. It is their fault that we didn’t catch more fish, see more wildlife, and have a more beautiful experience on our day off. It’s also their fault that I’m struggling with my relationships, having trouble with my stomach, and feeling tired all the time.
I like having someone that I can blame my troubles on, primarily because it removes my own accountability. Weather forecasters, doctors, and accountants are my favorite ones to blame. Who are yours?
I should be careful. I don’t want people trying to find someone to blame for their struggles. That ain’t right, and it surely isn’t helpful, ever. Instead, I should be encouraging people to take the hand they’re dealt and play it as best they can.
Yes, I know. Some of us have a really crummy hand to play. Having a scapegoat might make us feel better about the cards we’ve been dealt, but it doesn’t make the cards any better. Blaming the dealer doesn’t change the hand. That’s the part I sometimes forget.
I couldn’t control the rain on Labor Day. I couldn’t control the wind. I couldn’t control whether the fish were biting. And despite what I might have said while sitting in the boat, I’m pretty sure the weather forecasters weren’t trying to get me caught in the rain.
What I could control was my experience of being on the water. Just being outside, breathing the fresh air, and putting my fingers in the water is worthy of a big smile.
That’s true about much more than fishing. There are things that happened to every one of us that we didn’t choose, didn’t deserve, and couldn’t prevent. Some of them have changed our lives forever, and pretending otherwise would be foolish.
But eventually, we have to decide what we’re going to do with the hand we’ve been dealt. We can spend the rest of the game complaining about the dealer, looking around the table for someone else to blame, or we can even fold.
Or, we can ask God to help us play the hand.
Faith provides a different perspective that can completely change our experience in life. When we choose a life of faith, our problems won’t disappear. The cards don’t magically change just because we believe in God. Sometimes, we’re still holding a really crummy hand. Faith simply reminds us that the hand we’ve been dealt isn’t the only thing that matters. How we play it matters, too.
What do you think? Is having a relationship with God worth the effort? Do the life and teachings of Jesus help us play the hand we’ve been dealt?
I think so. Besides, blaming the dealer hasn’t helped me much. And blaming the weather forecasters certainly didn’t help us catch many fish.
See you Sunday! God Bless, Brock
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