Above My Pay Grade

 

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 131 ESV).

 

What a day to be alive! Stress levels keep rising at work, at school, even at home, the pressure is enormous. Productivity targets climb. Housing bubbles burst. Viruses run out of control. Who can calm down? Who can relax? How do you manage in this kind of world? Today, we can take our cue from another psalm from David. The gist of it is simply to refuse to be concerned with things above my pay grade. This is the best attitude for trusting in the goodness of our God. He IS in control; and nothing is above His pay grade.

 

Look at the example Jesus sets. When Jesus was a toddler, he and his family were refugees in Egypt. What a lot they must have experienced! Visits by shepherds and stargazing foreigners. A close escape from Herod’s death squad. And then months turning into years while they lived as strangers in a strange land. Yet we can imagine Mary picking up Jesus and wrapping him in her arms. And we can imagine Jesus finding comfort from her warmth and her steady breathing. Out of place in Egypt, threatened back home—none of that was a concern for little Jesus, who rested quietly in his mother’s embrace. Yet when he is twelve we find him staying behind to teach in the Temple. His parents were frantic thinking he has been lost. Finding him, Mary is stern with him. Jesus’ answer was very revealing: And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49 ESV).

 

Jesus was helping them understand that He was just fine. They didn’t understand because it was beyond them to imagine how this could be good. We are like that in all of our distressing circumstances. It is hard to understand how God could make any of these things “good.” Yet, they all work to our good in His plan and purpose (cf. Romans 8:28). Trust God… remind yourself that most of the confusing things we experience are merely material for God to build good in our lives!