“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and
honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk
uprightly.
O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.” Psalm 84:
11-12
One of my favorite TV commercials is the one where children are
shown making very adult-like declarations of their dreams and goals they want
to achieve in life: “I want to be an underachiever!” says one little boy. “I
want to make poor decisions and be an embarrassment to my family!” a little
girl says with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face. Of course, the
irony is intentional and the point is well made: no one starts life deciding to
be unsuccessful; no one gets up in the morning saying “today, I’m going to do
my best to screw things up.”
Of course life events occur that are beyond our control that may
contribute to failures or unachieved goals. But the commercial’s point is that
we all are motivated at some point in our lives, and at some level of
commitment, to do good; to make the most of the lives with which we are
blessed. For some of us, there is a very clear and specific sense of calling;
of deep meaning and purpose to life and the vocations we enjoy realizing that
sense of purpose. For others of us, we are always exploring and examining this
idea of “the good life” and experience life not as a set of goals or milestones
to achieve, but to be lived in moment. For either of those perspectives, there
come consequences. For instance, for those who are driven by ambition and
goals, considering the richness of life along the way and “stopping to smell
the roses” is often perceived as an obstacle to achievement, causing that
person to miss out on some of the richness that comes from being in the moment.
For those who are about enjoying life along the way and not being goal driven,
a lack of intentionality may lead the course of life down routes that are
filled with regret and lost time. The truth—as with many things in life—is in
the mean; a balance between the two perspectives.
The ancient writer of this poem—actually, scholars tell us that
this was probably a hymn sung in an ancient worship service—writes vividly of
the goodness it is to be in the presence of our creator God. Even the sparrows
have a place within the care of God. The Psalm culminates with the last two
verses proclaiming that God provides all good and useful things to those who
“walk uprightly” and “trusts in” God. Those two principles are simple but
profound. To “walk uprightly” means to honor and pursue God’s wisdom and ways
of life, found in our traditions of faith. It means to follow a way of God’s
intent for the human experience, not relying on our own ways. And then trusting
that God knows better, and has a better plan than any we could ever conjure up.
So perhaps we could be filmed saying “I want to be one who seeks
to walk uprightly and is seen as one who is flawed but trying.” Or “because I
trust God, I will celebrate God’s favor and honor of my life no matter what may
come.”
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