4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
This morning as I was making breakfast burritos before my husband went off to work, I glanced over at my bowl of K-Cups sitting on top of my microwave. The last part of verse 5 of Psalm 23 hit me. "My cup overflows."
Just last night I was bemoaning our lifestyle to my husband. I wasn't so much complaining about our circumstances as I was complaining about how other couples who didn't "follow the rules" seem to be getting to enjoy all of life's benefits that us rules followers are supposed to be enjoying. (Note: When I refer to breaking the rules, I'm not referring to sinful behavior. I'm more referring to making seemingly unwise decisions.)
You see, I had a plan for my life, and God has graciously allowed me to stick to that plan thus far. I graduated from high school with honors. I went to an accredited Bible college. I met my future husband on the 3rd day of my freshman year of college. I graduated on time and received my teaching license shortly thereafter. I got married the summer after I got married. My husband and I moved 900 miles from home so he could go to seminary. I found a teaching job while he was in seminary. He works 45+ hours a week. We found an extremely cheap apartment. We shop at Aldi to save money. We drive old cars. We go camping for our vacations. We're waiting to have children until he's done with seminary. All these things fit my definition of following the rules. Other Christian couples throw my definition of "following the rules" to the wind, and don't seemed to suffer. In fact, they sometimes seem to reap more benefits because they didn't "follow the rules."
As I was bemoaning this to my husband. I (with his wise guidance) came to the conclusion that I have no way of knowing if these rule-breakers are really reaping more benefits than I am. I have no way of knowing if their poor choices are coming back to bite them. I have no right to judge them based on my definition of how life should go. I have no right to determine that my life plan is the only life plan for the world to follow. Instead, I should focus on my attitude towards my own life.
I am truly blessed. I have a cute and cozy little apartment. I have a handsome husband who loves and provides for me. I have the satisfaction of having a worthwhile degree. I have a real job. I get to go on grand adventures with my husband because we spend our money wisely. I have many of life's milestones to look forward to. I have the peace that I followed God's prescribed plan for MY life.
I have no right to project God's plan for my life onto others. I have no right to determine what God's plan is for another couple's life. They can participate in the joy of the Christian life just as much as I can.
My cup truly does overflow. Goodness and mercy will follow me because I have a good and merciful God, not just because I followed the rules.
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