Let's Make a Deal - God's Best is not a Zonk!

Moving back home with my parents has afforded me many privileges, home cooked meals and an adorable canine companion Sami being only two. One privilege however, is both a blessing and a curse. It's cable television. For three years I was without cable and never thought about what I was missing. But now I have access to hundreds of channels on demand. Who would have thought there would be a need to watch game shows twenty four hours a day! Yet the game show network shows a plethora of new and "retro" game shows for my viewing pleasure.



Just this afternoon as I was eating lunch my father was watching "Let's Make a Deal". Do you remember the colorful game show hosted by Monty Hall where contestants dress up in unusual costumes to catch his attention? If chosen, contestants then compete and make deals to win whatever prize is behind three curtains. Invariably, there's a "zonk" behind at least one curtain; a prize like a donkey that a hopeful contestant has already traded for what they thought would be a better prize.

Even before today that game show had come to mind. You see, I've been struggling, like many of us, with being content with God's best. I had come to feel that God's best for me was something like that zonk behind curtain number three. Not an awful prize if you're in the market for a a donkey, but certainly not as great as the shiny red convertible. I wanted to make a deal with God something like: "God I'll trade my single life for a husband, three kids and my own house. You can make that house be in Rwanda, but just let me trade this life in for something I can call my own." I felt like what he had given me right now was that zonk, for which I wanted to make a deal for a better prize.



Then I realized what my problem has been. I've been thinking like a cat. I took part in Perspectives, the US Center for World Mission's, missions overview course several years ago. The first class session was entitled, "Cat and Dog Theology - Living Passionately for the Glory of God." I pulled out the companion book by that title and got to reading and boy, was it convicting!



According to the authors, Bob Sjogren and Gerald Robinson, there are two types of Christians: cat Christians and dog Christians. Cat Christians in essence say to God, "You exist to serve me,"while dog Christians on the other hand say, "I exist to serve you." Lately, I've been thinking like a cat. I've wanted God to serve my whims, my needs and my desires instead of giving myself fully to him and seeking to give him glory and fame in whatever circumstances he chooses to put me in.

As I re-read "Cat and Dog Theology" a couple of phrases stood out to me. Sjogren and Robinson say, "God is under no obligation to be faithful to our expectations; God is only required to be faithful to Himself, and cats have a problem with that." In Deuteronomy Moses writes a song that ascribes to God, many incredible attributes of his character including faithfulness, "For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he." No where does Moses ascribe faithfulness, justice and greatness to God because of what God had done for him. Rather he ascribes these attributes to God because of who God inherently is. God is faithful because He is God, not because He does what I want him to. He does not exist to serve me. Even when I feel that his best is like a zonk hidden behind curtain number three, He still remains faithful and His work is perfect. I was having a problem with God and his work because I was a cat, expecting Him to serve me.

Later on in their book the authors say, "Dogs sometimes realize that like our Lord, they must sacrifice their own joy and pleasure for the advancement of God's kingdom. At the heart of it, dogs have a passion for God's glory." When I was thinking like a cat, I wasn't willing to sacrifice my own joy and pleasure to advance God's kingdom in Rwanda. Rather I was more interested in seeing my own joy and pleasure fulfilled and still try and advance God's kingdom in Rwanda. Yet when my focus was on my own joy and pleasure it was off of God's kingdom and I certainly didn't have a passion for God's glory. The only thing I had a passion for was my pleasure. I was in all ways thinking and acting like a cat! I had forgotten that my purpose is in all things to bring glory to God; even when I am seemingly living out God's best that is hidden like a zonk behind curtain number three. I had forgotten that, "For from him and through him and to him are all things." All that I am and have comes from God and all is to be lived out and given back to him in order to bring Him glory.

Towards the end of their book, Sjogren and Robinson compare the similarities of dogs and cats. Yet they identify one main difference, "Dogs do everything that cats do. Their lives are parallel in every way except one: their mindset! They do everything as an act of worship to God and to make him smile. This is because they define everything in terms of God's glory! Life was designed to be one big worship service as we live for and reflect the glory of the Lord. But with cat theology, we have turned it around so that we no longer worship the Lord. We've been busy worshipping ourselves. Oh how we need to dive into Dog theology and once again worship the Lord for who He is and not for what He can give to us." Going to Rwanda as a single woman, without a husband or children can be done as an act of worship to God and to make him smile. When my focus is on bringing him glory and making him smile, what seemingly felt like a "zonk" really does become God's best. And why is it God's best? It's because it is what will bring God the most glory and fame right now.

My prayer is that I increasingly live the life of a dog; worshiping God for who He is; completely unconcerned with what He can give me. Sure, God can give me the home and family that I desire, yet if he chooses not to, this in no way diminishes how awesome He is. I am charged with the awesome responsibility and privilege to bring him glory and fame. And the greatest part of it is that I get to do that in Rwanda as I share His truth with Rwandan children! I get to invite Rwandan children to be a part of this life that is meant to be "one big worship service." I get to use my singleness and the freedom that it affords me to go halfway around the world to minister to more children than I could ever dream to have on my own. Certainly when I start thinking like a dog and reject my cat-like thinking, this does not become the "zonk" hidden behind curtain number three but rather the grand prize revealed behind curtain number one.