I have often felt as if I were stepping off a dock into a fishing boat with the possibility that the boat slip away from me without being able to jump in fast enough and yet being unable to regain a foothold on the dock with my other foot. Splash! Indecision is often the greatest risk we face in life. But life forces us to choose to do something at all times and even not acting is a choice. Time being what it is, if we use our time to pursue one course of action, we cannot also use that time to pursue another.
Unlike us, it seems that God is able to live outside of time. I know we as mortals desire to do more projects, have more interests, and learn more than we could ever pursue in our short lifetimes. Surely we are destined for a type of eternal life in which we can do so. But in this life God wants us to be proven worthy so he can trust us with such an increased knowledge and power. Such freedom would require great responsibility for which we are not yet ready to assume.
If almost anyone were asked if they would like to be given a few million dollars, they wouldn't turn it down. But without the ability to use money wisely, most of us would probably not learn some important lessons that come with restrictions to our lifestyle. Hard work for our living makes us appreciate what we do have more. We develop an empathy for the poor if we have had to struggle. We can't just “throw money” at a problem but may need to actually sacrifice our precious personal time and energy to solve it. Character is forged by having to decide how to spend our limited resources. Most who have gained great wealth have experienced struggle and failure on their way to riches. A few seem to be able to retain good character and not resort to corruption on the way up while others abandon it along the way.
Unlike us, it seems that God is able to live outside of time. I know we as mortals desire to do more projects, have more interests, and learn more than we could ever pursue in our short lifetimes. Surely we are destined for a type of eternal life in which we can do so. But in this life God wants us to be proven worthy so he can trust us with such an increased knowledge and power. Such freedom would require great responsibility for which we are not yet ready to assume.
If almost anyone were asked if they would like to be given a few million dollars, they wouldn't turn it down. But without the ability to use money wisely, most of us would probably not learn some important lessons that come with restrictions to our lifestyle. Hard work for our living makes us appreciate what we do have more. We develop an empathy for the poor if we have had to struggle. We can't just “throw money” at a problem but may need to actually sacrifice our precious personal time and energy to solve it. Character is forged by having to decide how to spend our limited resources. Most who have gained great wealth have experienced struggle and failure on their way to riches. A few seem to be able to retain good character and not resort to corruption on the way up while others abandon it along the way.
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