Through the Knothole

Bible Reading: Romans 8:28-30

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.   Romans 8:28

NORMAN ROCKWELL WAS a famous twentieth-century American painter. Many of his paintings were originally created for magazine covers, which made Rockwell one of the most famous artists of his time.

One of Rockwell’s paintings depicted a little boy watching a baseball game through a knothole in the ballpark fence. The boy presses his eye tightly against the hole, but he can see only straight ahead. He can’t see anything to either side of the field, and he’s blind to anything that happens close to the fence. The players and umpires on the field and the spectators in the stands can see the whole game. But the boy looking through the knothole can only see a small part of what’s going on.

We are like the boy looking through the knothole. Our view of life is like his view of that baseball game. We don’t know what good things might happen if we make right choices. We don’t know what bad things might happen if we make wrong choices. And sometimes it seems like a right choice might have unpleasant consequences, while a wrong choice seems to be the easiest and best way to handle a situation. But that’s because we can’t see everything that is going on.

God sees the whole “game.” He can see everything that is happening and everything that’s going to happen. He tells us we’ll be better off in the long run if we make right choices and avoid wrong choices. He has the power to work everything together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28).

So when the wrong choice looks like it’s more fun than the right choice, remember that you’re like the boy looking through the knothole. When the wrong choice seems so easy and the right choice seems hard, remember that you can’t see the whole playing field. When the wrong choice has immediate benefits and the right choice doesn’t, remember that God can see everything that is going on. He says you’ll be better off in the long run if you make right choices.

So which view do you think you can trust: the view through the knothole or the view of the whole game inside the park?

REFLECT: Do you ever think a wrong choice seems easy and the right choice seems hard? Does it sometimes seem like the wrong choice has immediate benefits and the right choice doesn’t? If so, what do you usually do when that happens? Which view do you think you can trust: the view through the knothole (your view) or the view of the whole game (God’s view)? If you trust God’s view, which choice will you make?

PRAY: “God, I know you can see everything so much better than I can. Please help me to remember that when the wrong choice looks better or easier or more fun than the right choice. I know I can trust you to help me choose the right thing.”