Choice

I really shouldn't be blogging right now, but I've been contemplating this today, so I thought I would take the time to record some of my thoughts.

I think a general rule in our culture is that choice is a good thing when it comes to your preference, but a bad thing when it comes to choosing certain people over others.

One of the biggest frustrations I have in doing camp is the lack of follow-through I have with the campers. Most of them, I simply can not follow through with due to time constraints, other obligations, and distance. It's hard to simply let them go. But I do every year, trusting that what the campers experienced that week was what God intended. That God would nurture the seed planted. However, this year I felt compelled to go a little further, so I decided to choose two campers to stay in touch with and nurture. It really wasn't hard to choose two, but it was hard not to choose 5 or 6.

So why did I limit myself even when my heart is aching to do more? Because I know that in order to be an effective wife, mother, and youth leader, I have to limit my relationships with others. Ah. That's such a hard concept for some people to grasp, and I'm sure that if very many people read this blog, some would tear me apart. But it's the truth. I can burn myself out trying to be everything to everyone, or I can entrust most to Jesus and nurture the one's who have been given to me.

Isn't that favoritism? Nope. Favoritism is showing favor (or liking) to someone because we prefer their characteristics over someone elses. Favoritism is a trend in the OT (Abraham favored Isaac over Ishmael, Isaac favored Jacob over Esua, and Jacob favored Joseph and Benjamin over the others). It was a destructive trend that perpetuated much evil (and still does in the world today). It's sad and isn't what God desires of us.

But choosing is different. Choosing is recognizing who God placed in your life to nurture. The opposite of choosing isn't rejecting; it's not choosing. Calvins birthday is coming up and everyone is making a big deal of it - especially since his theology is making a comeback. I've been a Calvinist for as long as I've known what theology is, so I've experienced the questions. And the biggest beef with Calvinism is: a loving God would never choose some and reject others.

This misconception saddens me. (Please don't bash too hardly this analogy; it's not perfect but it's going to serve it's point). I've heard God compared to an awkward teenage boy at a dance. He goes around asking all the girls to dance, hoping some will say yes. Ah, this is so ridiculous. God is all powerful; He freaking created this entire world in 6 days! Six. The presence of His angels knocked people to their knees. He defeated Satan and conquered death! Seriously? God does not play the best odds game. He didn't extend His grace to everyone hoping some would go for it.

Some like to say, well, he extended a general invitation to everyone, but he really only asked the girls whom he knew would say yes. Nope. God goes right to the one's He called, and takes them by the hand, and walks them out onto that dance floor.

I think the biggest issue I have with my entire theology is that God is all powerful and if He saw fit to save the entire world, He could have. Unlike me, He isn't limited to relational and time constraints; He can be everything to everyone.

Okay, my budding theologian friends, thoughts?