Jacob's Wisdom

This morning while driving home from worship services, Tyler (a.k.a. Biscuit) was talking about his future as a professional baseball player.  That is his dream, and while it is exciting to think of him playing for our favorite team, the Texas Rangers, there would be some big draws back to playing in the big leagues.

As parents, Joe and I always talk to our children about future careers and how they could affect their lives in service to God, as well as for their future family. All three of the older kids (Lauren, Zachary, and Jacob) were talking to Tyler about worshipping God, attending worship services, living in different states and traveling a lot....just really important things about life.  Tyler thinks he has this part all figured out - of course.  After all, he's almost eight!  (Hee Hee!)

And then, as we pulled into the garage, came Jacob (our 12 year old) with his great words of wisdom: "Tyler, I have an announcement.  Why don't you quit focusing on being a Major League Baseball player and just focus on 2nd grade?"  Everybody jumped out of the vehicle and that was the end of the conversation about Tyler's future.  I praised Jacob for getting Tyler focused on the here and now - for today - and stopping his boastful attitude about his future.

I've thought all day about Jacob's wise words.  Many times we talk about our future plans, but often it is in a wrong and boastful way. That's not to say that we shouldn't prepare for our futures in some way, but we must not do it in a way that appears to be boastful.  We must also make sure that we realize that every "today" and every "tomorrow" is a gift from God.

The Bible talks about the "boasting of tomorrow" in the book of James:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:13-17

So, what should we do with that gift of today and tomorrow that God gives us?  Live each day for Him?  Absolutely!  Plan for our futures?  Certainly!  But, most importantly we should recognize that in each and every day we are to live it according to His will and according to His desires for our lives.

Will Tyler end up playing for the Majors?  Only God knows the answer to that question.  But, should Tyler use Jacob's wisdom and focus on 2nd grade?  Yes.  That's where he is right now in life.  No boastful attitude....just believing in God's will for his life.  And, that's how we all should live.