Apr 30, 2015

Because I Can?

I have donned a new Hat of late. Or maybe just a new element to an existing Hat. My Homeowner Hat has shifted slightly to be a Home-builder Hat as well. My husband and I have found land and are now trying to find financing and a contractor. The combination of excitement and nervousness during this process is overwhelming. We are constantly second-guessing ourselves.

God gave me an aha! moment recently to prepare me for this process. I was reading the verses in Matthew about when Jesus was betrayed, and Peter had cut off the high priest's servant's ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and told him that, if he had wanted to, he could have asked God to send down angels to rescue him. Jesus had the full confidence of success and the ability to do so. But he didn't. As I read these passages, I heard God whisper to my heart, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." Since then, the saying, "because I can," makes me cringe. I love the urban dictionary website's definition of this phrase.
"An absolute and valid verbal justification of any action that is seemingly without a clear goal or purpose..."
When I hear, "because I can," my mind goes to a movie scene where a billionaire is purchasing a Lamborghini for no other reason than because he can. 

I know the phrase doesn't always mean cruel or careless intent. I even found a church online who uses "because I can" as the reason for helping people. Some find the statement motivating. Paul used the words "I can" in Philippians 4:13, which states, "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" (NLT; emphasis mine).

The "because" part is what bothers me. Although "I can" has the ability to be an empowering proclamation, if used correctly, it is not a explanation. I don't even tie my shoes simply because I can. I tie them because otherwise they would fall off my feet.
At first, when God gave me this aha! moment, I worried that he was trying to tell us not to buy the land. Now I believe God was preparing my heart against the temptation to build above our budget. By this I mean we might have the capability to stretch our finances to the max and built a 4000 square foot house, but just because we can doesn't mean we should. Not that a huge house is an evil thing, but my husband and I have agreed on something much smaller.

However, there was a moment of consideration, seeing the expectation of certain people around us, when I thought to myself, "Should we? Because...well, we can."

Hats off to you, my friend. I will write again, but until then...
hang on to your hat! ;-)

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