I'm sure I'm not the only one who, from time to time, has had this experience. Something goes wrong, and results in a sickening feeling in which my predominant thought begins, "If only ..."
My mind goes back to teenage, when I was given a big shelf clock. It stood perhaps 40 cm. high and was quite beautiful; its only problem was that it didn't go. Keen on finding out what was wrong, I attacked it rapidly with whatever tools were to hand. Suddenly the spring 'exploded' and shattered other parts that, in my ignorance, I had loosened. Instantly, a condition of 'not going' was transformed into 'completely ruined'. Occasionally in the intervening years I've thought regretfully about this chain of events and the fact that I don't now have a clock to show for them. It seems quite likely that it could have simply needed a professional clean and appropriate lubrication to unleash many more years of useful service. If only ...
A few weeks ago, I attended a training session devoted to 'manual handling and working at height'. One of the situations described by the trainer was one I could easily imagine. Someone is using a ladder to reach items stored on a shelf above head height. He needs to retrieve something that is just beyond his reach while standing erect on the ladder. Instead of coming down, shifting the ladder and re-ascending, he holds the shelf with one hand while leaning and reaching with the other to gather the item he wants. This shifts his centre of gravity beyond the base of the ladder, with the result that he falls and sustains injury. If only ...
My Bible reading has recently led me through Luke's gospel and in particular verses in chapter 14, where Jesus is teaching about the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:28-32). Here are two short parables that could prove relevant here. Whether it's building a tower (some translations say it's a barn) or fighting a war, the meaning is clear: work out first what it will need, what it's going to cost you, before going ahead. It's what the professionals call 'carrying out a risk assessment' and it's very common in any kind of business activity, in both the commercial and charitable sectors.
But I'm going to suggest an additional step. In the Bible, both Psalms and Proverbs offer an endless source of good advice to the intelligent reader and I'd like to direct you to just three verses. The first is from Proverbs, and reminds me of that clock episode. "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (Prov. 22:5). We hear in respect of commercial deals about the need to 'carry out due diligence'; in this context, the diligence advocated is, in my opinion, defined by my second verse. "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken" (Psalm 55:22). In other words, before building a tower, fighting a war, dismantling a clock or anything else that is important, call on the Lord in prayer, asking for wisdom and an awareness of all that the project involves, before deciding to go ahead with it.
My third verse was also culled for this article, but I find it summarises the way of my spiritual life. "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life." (Psalm 143:8). I'm not saying I obey it faultlessly - who could? - but at least I open myself to God's leading. If I choose not to follow what He advises, in the words of a familiar saying, 'on my own head be it'!
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