Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Losing Control



One of the television programs we enjoy watching concerns a wealthy businessman who saves failing businesses. He meets with the owners of companies on the brink of bankruptcy and offers his help. First he gets to know all the people involved. Then he studies the day to day operations. Lastly he goes over all the financial records. Once he has become thoroughly familiar with both the business and the people involved, he presents the owners with a plan to save them from ruin. 

First he writes them a check large enough to make the necessary changes and to pay off their debt. With the stroke of a pen all their problems are solved. However, the offer also requires the owners to give up a large percentage of their business and to agree to let the businessman make all the decisions about the running of the company. When the owners accept the check, they also accept the conditions. 

They nearly always accept the check while nodding their agreement to the conditions. All goes well as they begin to work together to  make the recommended improvements; that is until the benefactor makes demands that don't sit well with the owners. They argue and walk out of meetings, and in one instance, the owner walked away from the deal because he simply couldn't relinquish control. The outcome is predictable. On the other hand, those who manage to submit to his authority and honor their agreement have a very different outcome - a growing, profitable business. 

I think it may be a fairly good metaphor for our relationship to God...

Please click on over to Laced With Grace, and we can talk about the metaphor. I'd love to hear what you think.

Blessings,
Linda