Choose Your Own Adventure

by Heather Myer

“There are no accidents in art…only happy little mistakes,” Bob Ross cheerfully exclaimed as he painted a happy little cloud above a rolling hillside. The late Bob Ross, a PBS forefather of television paint-along shows, was equally known for his optimism as his artwork. Can the same be said for life? There are no accidents in life, only happy little mistakes. Today’s society would not agree with Bob.

We live in a culture where so many people treat life as a Choose Your Own Adventure book. Many believe that each decision directly effects the next. For example, you are hungry. You can decide to eat lunch at McAlister’s Deli (turn to page 32) or at the Rib Crib (turn to page 68). After your meal at McAlister’s Deli, you discover that you’ve won $5,000 when you call to take a customer-satisfaction survey. With this money, you can pay your deceased half-brother’s lingering debt (turn to page 56) or travel to Quintana Roo in search hidden Myan treasure (turn to page 124). However, if you choose the Rib Crib, you narrowly miss certain doom by choking on a mouthful of chopped brisket, only to be rescued by an employee who knows the Heimlich maneuver. You can ask your rescuer out on a date (turn to page 139) or sue Rib Crib for not chopping their brisket well (turn to page 91).

Society teaches us to view each choice as a paramount decision, with life-altering events. That life’s path is the combination of our past decisions. Is our future dependant on the twists and turns of our past? If so, the pros and cons of our options must be carefully weighed. Each opportunity leads to future success or failure. Could you decide between traveling to Chicago for pizza or Philadelphia for a steak sandwich? Would you attend an educational seminar in Cancun or Denver? Might an Apple or a Hewlett-Packard laptop best meet your purposes? Should you train to run half a marathon or bike the MS 150? What if you could either pursue mission opportunities in Japan or study art in London? Is it best to rent a house in Springfield or buy one in Ozark? Would you join the Army to help fight the War on Terror or finish your Master’s Degree in Counseling? Is teaching high school students arithmetic your future path or should you enter the business world? Would your free time best be devoted to leading a church ministry or working at Express? What about working at the blood bank or serving as a Navy nurse? We cannot rely on our own strength for any of these options. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Does it ultimately matter if you go to Philly for a philly-cheese or Chicago for a deep-dish? God will work in all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Does it ultimately matter if art is pursued in London versus missions in Tokyo? God will work in all things for the good of those who love him, who are called to his purpose. How do we know his purpose? Search the Bible. Psalm 119:130 says, “The unfolding of your Word gives light.” Ask him. Fall to your knees and ask our Maker what he would have you do. God is the grand creator of our lives, the Maker of the universe. Where can we go that he will not be? What can we do that he will not know?

“Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast,” Psalm 139:7–10.

Psalm 139:1–4 states that he has searched you. He knows you. He knows when you sit and when you stand. He is familiar with all of your ways. He knows your very thoughts. Before you speak, he knows the words that will be on your tongue. God knows you completely. Our maker knows each move we make, every word we utter. If you choose to holiday in Cancun or Denver, God will be there. If you rent a house or buy one, his hand will guide you. If you dine at either McAlister’s Deli or the Rib Crib, he will hold you. All things work together for those who know the Lord and who are called to his purpose. Perhaps Bob Ross was onto something.

—http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ross