You got to know when to hold 'emWithout offering a hat tip to the dying gambler, I would suggest that this is fairly simple ... in the Christian life.
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20). That doesn't sound like "hold 'em." It sounds a lot like "fold 'em." Give it to Him. Die to self. Let Him live in me. We're supposed to "Flee from sexual immorality" (1 Cor 6:18), "Flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14) and "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness" (1 Tim 6:11). This isn't "Hold 'em." It's "fold 'em" and surrender to Him. We're supposed to be "dead to sin" (Rom 6:4-7). "Fold 'em."
We are, of course, supposed to do things. However, all of them are under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in God's power. We're supposed to be radically different than our world that seeks independence and autonomy and, instead, seek dependence and submission. It's not natural, but it's right and wise.
2 comments:
I remember that song well (and 1978 was a very good year), and even without any poker-playing experience on my part, I think that the observation in that chorus is sound advice regarding decision-making in general; yet our choices as believers will be very different from the worldly minded “go-getter” who must expertly calculate his risks for “winning the hand” (or the “pot”). As you point out, we possess the guidance and power of the Lord, and since our goals are to please Him, rather than to attain worldly success, we can trust that His Word will lead us to pursuits in this life that will count for eternity. Surely this will include forsaking the world’s ways and goals and surrendering to His will--the constant submissive act of “folding,” as you say. The rest of the song’s chorus goes, “You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table. There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealing’s done.” As a believer, I don’t “count [my] money” at all--literally or figuratively--but instead seek to “store up for [myself] treasures in heaven” (Mat. 6:20). Hopefully, a well-played “hand” of the spiritual variety.
As an aside: The other day I encouraged you to reinterpret common idioms for us with spiritual applications, and it occurred to me today that pop song lyrics work well for that as well, since they are often firmly in the memory bank for many of us (and often on the tips of our tongues as well). Personally, I’ve been listening to and singing pop songs for 60+ years--ever since the Beatles came on the scene in 1964, when I was only 8 years old (I still recall the moment that I heard my first Beatles song playing on a classmate’s little transistor radio during recess in second grade). That’s a lot of song lyrics! (and many of them are worth meditating upon).
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