Scripture clearly teaches us at least two uncompromising principles: let your ‘yes’ or ‘no’ be unequivocal with no mixed message (Matthew 5:37); and do not add to or subtract from scripture (Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19). But, I wonder if sometimes we want the answer to (fill in the blank) to be … not at this time. ??? Perhaps we don’t want to hear, ‘yes, now’ because we feel inadequate, and ‘later’ works best with our agenda. Or, perhaps we don’t want to hear, ‘no’, because we want what we want. Therefore, we elect to hear… maybe.
So how is ‘maybe’ defined? I think the basic definition is that maybe gives me (license) to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, how I want to do ‘it’, if this is what I want in the first place. Yes? Webster says: “…something that is not known for certain; perhaps.” In other words – no foundation, no structure, no absolute, or… relativism. If there is no standard then everything is relative to the person at the time. Thus, it is the individual who defines and acts on.
Does this equivocation really accomplish anything? No… it doesn’t. In the first instance we don’t experience seeing God work through our inadequacies and we miss our blessing. In the second situation, do we really want to ‘go it’ by ourselves, with our agenda? Are we so much wiser, with foresight to see the end from the beginning? Hardly. Can we, will we live fully with the answer the Lord gives us to our wants, needs?, hopes, dreams…?
I think most of us experience both of these situations. While we would be the last to admit that we couldn’t accomplish what’s being asked, if it is from the Lord… then we DO have everything we need. We just need to walk in faith. And, yes, this is difficult but it is truly the only response. Disappointment, inadequacies, ‘timing’, turns into OUR response. Will it be ‘yes’ to His yes and ‘no’ to His no? It is always our choice, our decision. Maybe never works because there’s not a full commitment to the answer. It is always… well, maybe.
