Of Mice and Men

Hello fellow human beings...are we men/women or mice.

In 1785...the Scottish poet Robert Burns was inspired to write a poem after he ploughed up a mouses home in the fields. The poem was entitled: TO A MOUSE, ON TURNING HER UP IN HER NEST WITH THE PLOUGH. But, Mousie, Thou are no thy lane In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes O' Mice an' Men
Gang aft agley, and lea 'e us naught
But grief and pain.

The Standard English translation reads: But mouse you are not alone... in proving foresight may be vain...the best laid schemes of mice and men...go often askewed...and leaves us with nothing but grief and pain...for promised joy.

The bottom line...you can plan out all day long what you want to happen.. but a plough can come along and disrupt your plans.

This concept is glorified in novels by John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men)...and the subsequent movie...starring Lon Chaney (of The Wolfman horror flicks).

You would think that after 37 years as a Christian...that I would have learned this Mice and Men principle by now...but
Nooooooooooooooooooooo....I still plan things and get disappointed, depressed, deflated hope, over and over again.

I ain't talking about a 1785 poem by the Scottish Plougman...or about a 1937 Novella by Steinbeck...or a movie by Hal Roach (also of the Little Rascals fame), but I am talking about Nitty-Gritty...down to earth...down and dirty life on planet earth. I have got to learn to temper my plans with faith in God...and adjust. In karate...boxing...street fighting...the guiding principle is...FIGHTING IS A SERIES OF ADJUSTMENTS. The same principle goes for the Kingdom of God...LIFE is a series of adjustments...and just when you think you should have bobbed...you should have weaved...BLAMMO.

Well...what's a BELIEVER to do? I'm glad you asked. First we need to live our lives like Oswald Chambers mentions in the devotional MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. In the January 31st devotion...he mentions twice and attitude that we have to keep forefront if we are to fulfill our CALLING.


NOTE: This man in the picture is saying...Have Thine own way Lord... have thine own way...Thou art the Potter...I am the clay...mold me and make me...after Thy will...while I am waiting...YIELDED AND STILL.

"To talk in that way is a sign that the reality of the Gospel of God has not begun to touch me; there is no RECKLESS ABANDON TO GOD. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in MY OWN character. Paul is unconscious of himself, he is RECKLESSLY ABANDONED, separated by God for one purpose--to proclaim the Gospel of God." (Romans ix.3.)

This is step one...to preparing for adjustments in our well thought out plans of how life should be and turn out for us.

Step two entails...getting our eyes of of evildoers and wrongdoers...that tend to appear to be the ones who screw up our lives...and then appear to prosper and get everything that we were suppose to have. Psalm 37 speaks of this...as we start to whine about life not being fair...or why does everything always happen to me.

NOTE: Things happen to us for various reasons: (1) We live in a cursed and fallen world (2) There is a devil out to steal, kill and destroy (3) The Barney Fife Syndrome where we shoot ourselves in our own foot after Andy told us to keep the bullet in our pockets (4) The natural testing of your faith as God is drawing out proven character in you.

In Psalm 37...we need to circle all of the VERBS...ACTION WORDS that appears to be OUR RESPONSIBILITY...when things AIN'T GOIN' AS PLANNED (our plans that is). Here is a cursory look at some (not all) of the things that we are suppose to do between the point of prayer and the point of provision: fret not...be not envious...trust in the Lord...do good... dwell in the land...cultivate faithfulness (feed on His faithfulness) ...delight yourself in the Lord (He will give you the desires of your heart)...Commit your way to the Lord...trust in Him (He will do it)...rest in the Lord...wait patiently for Him...CEASE FROM ANGER...

Well, you get the idea. We are NOT just sitting passively aside as the plan shifts and evildoers and wrongdoers appear to have the upper hand.

Step number 3 is a matter of TRUST: "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING...In ALL your ways ACKNOWLEDGE HIM...and He will make your paths straight...DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES...fear the Lord and turn away from evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Step number 4 is found in the book of James: "Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we shall go to such and such a city...and spend a year there and engage in business...and make a profit. Yet you DO KNOW KNOW what your life will be like TOMORROW. You are just a VAPOR that appears for a little while and then VANISHES AWAY. Instead, you ought to say...IF THE LORD WILLS, we shall LIVE, and also do THIS or THAN. But as it is, you BOAST in your ARROGANCE...all such boasting is EVIL. Therefore...to one who know the right thing to do...and does not do it...TO HIM IT IS SIN." (James 4:13-17)

Step # 5 is found in Romans 8:28..."For we know that God causes ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly)...to work together for GOOD to those who LOVE GOD...to those who are called according to HIS PURPOSE (not our purpose)."

And finally...Step #6...or the Joseph Principle...where Joseph...had his murder faked, stripped of his pride and joy (his coat of many colours), thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, accused of attempted rape (false charges), prison...and then elevated to a position of power. Joseph had every right to grumble, complain, whine, attempt revenge, get even...but Joseph had a DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

When the brothers who had done the bad stuff to Joseph were confronted by Joseph...Joseph states.."And now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves...because you sold me here; for GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU TO PRESERVE LIFE." God had different plans for Joseph. He underscored it again..."And GOD SENT me before you to preserve for you, a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a GREAT DELIVERANCE." Genesis 45:4-7

After their father died...the boys became fearful...that NOW Joseph would get even. Again Joseph was moving from a different perspective of how the PLANS in his LIVE were adjusted. God gave me this word personally for my first trip to Africa..."Do not be afraid, FOR AM I IN GOD'S PLACE." Genesis 50:19 NOTE: God's Place...no matter what has happened to you in the past, present or future...is a good place.

Joseph then underscores...the BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN..."And as for you...you meant EVIL AGAINST ME (meant harm)... BUT...GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD....in order (there is always order in God's plan...even when it looks chaotic)...to BRING ABOUT this present result to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:20

Sometimes to get to the RESULT that God desires....our PLANS have to be PLOUGHED UP by the MASTER PLOUGHMAN.

Love and Planned Kisses (but subject to change)
Rodney "gang aft agley" Boyd