If the Creek Don't Rise
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In The Imitation of Christ, Thomas of Kempen wrote, “Man proposes, but God disposes,” a pretty good synopsis of our text for today.
13 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.” 14 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. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
Where I grew up, a common expression was, “God Lord willing and the crick don’t rise.” This was an idiomatic way of rephrasing the more spiritual, “If it’s God’s will,” that you heard in church. Unfortunately both expressions trivialized what is an important doctrine even if the church’s expression was drawn directly from our text. I say this because we would use the expression and then live our lives like the very people James scolded.
That important doctrine is we are NOT in control!
Listen up!
Listen up!
While James was addressing the merchant class, his words are no less true for the pauper class and every class in between.
While James was addressing the merchant class, his words are no less true for the pauper class and every class in between.
Stereotype or not, the Jews were great traders in that world.
Stereotype or not, the Jews were great traders in that world.
Canaan was the land bridge connecting Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia) and Egypt.
Canaan was the land bridge connecting Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia) and Egypt.
As such, it meant trade which explains the continuous conflict in the biblical period.
As such, it meant trade which explains the continuous conflict in the biblical period.
Barclay said that when new cities were founded, citizenship was offered freely to the Jews for where the Jews were money and trade followed.
Barclay said that when new cities were founded, citizenship was offered freely to the Jews for where the Jews were money and trade followed.
James seems to be quoting business plans being made by members of his congregation.
James seems to be quoting business plans being made by members of his congregation.
All the verbs are future tense: will go, will spend a year, will carry on business, will get rich.
All the verbs are future tense: will go, will spend a year, will carry on business, will get rich.
So, what’s the problem?
So, what’s the problem?
We live in a culture that highly prizes planning; apparently they did to.
We live in a culture that highly prizes planning; apparently they did to.
But they seemed, and we seem, to have forgotten one tiny truth.
But they seemed, and we seem, to have forgotten one tiny truth.
We are NOT in control.
We are NOT in control.
Seneca said, “No man has such rich friends that he can promise himself tomorrow.”
Seneca said, “No man has such rich friends that he can promise himself tomorrow.”
James put it simply.
James put it simply.
You have no clue what tomorrow will bring.
You have no clue what tomorrow will bring.
Your life is like the early morning fog that burns away in the heat of the sun.
Your life is like the early morning fog that burns away in the heat of the sun.
We hear the echoes of Jesus’ parable, “You damn fool, you are gong to die tonight. Others will enjoy what you have hoarded, not you.”
We hear the echoes of Jesus’ parable, “You damn fool, you are gong to die tonight. Others will enjoy what you have hoarded, not you.”
So then, is planning wrong and should be fatalistic?
So then, is planning wrong and should be fatalistic?
Man proposes; God disposes.
Man proposes; God disposes.
Our plans are subject to God’s because he IS in control; we are NOT.
Our plans are subject to God’s because he IS in control; we are NOT.
One way to use the old idiom about the creek in a meaningful way is to make plans subject to God’s plans as expressed in changing circumstances (the rising creek.)
One way to use the old idiom about the creek in a meaningful way is to make plans subject to God’s plans as expressed in changing circumstances (the rising creek.)
If it’s the Lord’s will is not meant to be a catch phrase but an attitude of submission to God’s plans, subjecting our plans to God’s plans, and searching out God’s plans as our knowledge about circumstances increases.
If it’s the Lord’s will is not meant to be a catch phrase but an attitude of submission to God’s plans, subjecting our plans to God’s plans, and searching out God’s plans as our knowledge about circumstances increases.
Verse 16 lays out in greater detail what James readers were actually doing.
Verse 16 lays out in greater detail what James readers were actually doing.
A better translation is, “you boast in your arrogance.”
A better translation is, “you boast in your arrogance.”
The word arrogance was used of ancient snake oil salesmen, con men who traveled around with “cures” for various ailments that cured nothing except the con man’s poverty.
The word arrogance was used of ancient snake oil salesmen, con men who traveled around with “cures” for various ailments that cured nothing except the con man’s poverty.
Their trust was not in God who WAS and IS in control but in their plans that could be disrupted by something as minor as a heavy rainfall.
Their trust was not in God who WAS and IS in control but in their plans that could be disrupted by something as minor as a heavy rainfall.
The way we know which attitude we have, that of James or that of the merchants, is whether or not we get angry when circumstance interrupts our plans. (Ouch!!!)
The way we know which attitude we have, that of James or that of the merchants, is whether or not we get angry when circumstance interrupts our plans. (Ouch!!!)
James provides us our takeaways.
James provides us our takeaways.
In the immediate context, James said, “Now you have been taught this lesson; do it!”
In the immediate context, James said, “Now you have been taught this lesson; do it!”
In the larger context...
In the larger context...
we are to understand it is sinful not to subject our plans to God’s plans,
we are to understand it is sinful not to subject our plans to God’s plans,
it is sinful to not seek out God’s plans,
it is sinful to not seek out God’s plans,
and having discovered God’s plans it is sinful to not carry them out.
and having discovered God’s plans it is sinful to not carry them out.
Whether coincidental or not, today is Palm/Passion Sunday. When you think about it in today’s context, the crowd turned on Jesus because he would not let them control him. And Jesus went to the cross rather than give up control to them.