May 04, 2005
Type A Personality
Sometimes, when I read passages like Psalm 37, where someone is asking God to correct those doing wrong or admonishes the reader not to fret because of evil men or not to be envious of those who do wrong. It makes me laugh just a bit to consider someone who gets bent out of shape over the wrong behavior of others. You know the type (you may be one!): when someone else does something wrong in traffic, they take it upon themselves to somehow correct, punish, or insult the offending driver. If they're being tailgated, they'll slow down in an over-dramatic way, or hit their brakes over and over again. It's one thing to slow down a little in hopes that the tailgater will pass; but it's another thing to try and "punish" them is indicative of someone who is obssessing with how others think or behave. I'm pretty sure God wants us to be less Type A. The Pharisees were classic Type A people. They couldn't rest if someone was "getting away with something" or breaking their little "fence laws" (laws or "fences" erected surrounding a law, so no one would even get close to breaking that law). The older brother in the Prodigal Son story was Type A. He had a twisted view of his relationship with his father (as though he had to earn his father's love). God wants something better for us. Father does know best.
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret -- it leads only to evil.
For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hopoe in the Lord
will inherit the land."
Fretting and worrying (about anything) is not the Lord's will for us. Trust is. Believing in God is not just about thinking that His Story is true -- it is clinging to, trusting in, and relying on Him. He is faithful.
"I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed."