Been There, Done That
Do you have a favorite holiday movie? I’m sure the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Christmas has a way of evoking a sense of tradition in even the “Grinchiest” of hearts. It’s almost that time of year when many of us get the itch to hear familiar phrases like, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” or, “And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown” or even “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
One of my favorite scenes in the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the one where a man stands on his porch watching a young George Bailey blabbering on idly with the girl he really likes (Mary) without doing what he himself would’ve done, and that would be - kiss the girl! “Youth is wasted on the young” he forcefully tells the newly matched lovebirds, and that line strikes a chord within me every time I watch that scene.
I consider how often I truly don’t realize what is most important in life, even when it’s standing directly in front of me. Do I give those around me the attention I should give? Do my words reflect a loving spirit of joy or a self-righteous “it’s all about me” tone?
Am I alone? No matter our age, we may subconsciously have the desire each day to understand and act on what life is truly about, but we don’t fully comprehend the depth of its meaning or how to absorb it. Are we foolish? Is time truly “wasted” on the youth? I don’t think so. Physiologically speaking, human brains are not developed to their fullest until we are well past our teenage years.
Even most twenty-somethings are only approaching a small inkling of grasping what life is really all about. Without more life experience, how could they know more? We benefit by learning from those who have “been there, done that” as they can provide examples of what they’ve done wrong - and the redemption they’ve received - and what they’ve done right - through the power of the Lord.
In this past Sunday’s message, Pastor Dan, invited us to look at Ecclesiastes 10 and consider Solomon in his advancing years, reflecting upon his own life choices. Solomon considers his past, the unwise decisions he allowed himself to make, and the regrets that often followed.
In this more seasoned time of his life he watches those around him diving head first into the same pits of mistakes he had made while wanting them to be wiser than he was. He wants them to not be foolish in their decision-making in order to avoid the pain that often piggybacks poor choices. As a man who had “been there, done that” Solomon wants to warn them. He desires they do better than he did. He wants them to turn to God first before taking a single step or uttering a whispering word.
And isn’t that what we want to do with the people we know and love?
As a young girl of seven I dedicated my heart to Jesus. However, as the years went by, I easily decided I could do things much better on my own. My trivial and somewhat hedonistic ways took me down several paths that were, simply put, regrettable, and left scars that no one could see but me. But they were there, reminding me over the years of my foolish choices. Unfortunately, I ignored many of the paths of life which were stable and sound.
Now, as a parent, I see Solomon’s scenario play out almost daily. My husband and I didn’t marry until later in life, and we both had “been there and done that” in terms of making some poor choices without considering God’s desires beforehand. Two of our three children are just now entering the teenage years, and I want so badly for them to make better choices than I did during those formative years.
I want them to cling to God’s Word and, just as James 1:5 says, I desire for them to ask God for wisdom knowing it will be given. I want them to trust in the Lord will ALL their heart, mind and soul with complete confidence (Prov. 3:5). I want them to spend time praying before considering who to hang out with, what places to go, which schools to attend and, one day, who to date and marry. Will they make good choices? I want the wisdom of the Lord to be their guiding light, so my prayer is that the verses of Proverbs settle in and make their home inside their hearts, enabling them to draw directly from God and apply them so that indeed good choices are made.
And, I do see some maturity breaking through the terrain of their childhood. My children play out their respective roles as they draft their Christmas lists: the younger wanting everything she sees, the tween unsure of whether to ask for what he really wants or risk appearing to be too greedy, and the oldest who just wants a few things because “tangible things don’t last long”. Ah, yes…the wisdom of youth!
But what examples do today's youth have to follow? Upside-down societal norms illustrate Ecclesiastes 10:6-7 (MSG): “Immaturity is given a place of prominence, while maturity is made to take a backseat…unproven upstarts riding in style, while experienced veterans are put out to pasture.” We seem to value inexperience and diminish the significance of our elders. We allow groups to sway us without putting enough thought into what they truly represent. We see abuses of power from all ages, and often times the ones toughest to swallow are those from older folks who “should know better”.
However, as King Solomon directs us, our focus should NOT be on people, but should be constantly on the Lord. The power within us to do ANYTHING comes from Him. And we have choices and chances each new day to do the right thing for ourselves and in our interactions with those around us. No matter our age, we can make the wise choices and receive God’s blessing because He has “taught (us) the way of wisdom; led (us) in the paths of uprightness” (Prov. 4:11).
Thankfully, our gracious Savior knows our wanderings and isn’t surprised by our foolish foibles.
I love that in His Word, He has something for everyone, at every age and at every stage of life. Our Holy Father has truly BEEN THERE and DONE THAT by way of His sons and daughters. There is nothing that leaves Him wondering. He waits patiently for us to learn from our mistakes. He stays by our side as we test the waters of addictions and temptations all the while longing for us to seriously consider the path of our feet (Prov. 4:26).
Even as I write I’m reminded that today I can choose wisely to breathe deeply and focus my mind on Jesus. I can spend a few moments of stillness before My King to let Him remind me of who I am and whose I am. How about you? Our heart’s posture can be one of adoration of His goodness and sovereignty, or one of selfish expectation that OUR wills be done and not His. It’s a daily choice. Our past does not define TODAY! We can walk with the One who gives wisdom to all who lack and any who ask.
~ Tara Dye