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Friday, October 24, 2008

Are you lucky?

"Good luck!"
"You're so lucky."
"I'm having a lucky streak."

We hear these things every day, but how true are they?
Interestingly enough, the word is not found anywhere in the Bible.

Here it is in Webster's dictionary:


Luck: 1 a: a force that brings good fortune or adversity b: the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual 2: favoring chance
As you can read, it is based completely on chance.

The definition of chance is:

Chance: something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause b: the assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings.
Did you see that? "The assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings."

In other words, there is no one that determines or has purpose for things that happen.

To believe in luck is to say that there is no God.
It is to believe that this life is a series of random happenings void of a Creator.

Here's another one that I hear quite often these days.
When someone deserving faces trials and struggles or good fortune.
"It's karma"

Websters says:


Karma: 1 often capitalized : the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence.
That says it all!

God's Word says:
Gal 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
NIV

If we believe in the God of the Bible, than we know that there is no such thing as luck or karma.

I think it's important for us to think about the meaning of these words, certainly not to police everyone around us, but to be aware of the depth of things that we might casually say.

Please don't use this information to become the obnoxious Christian in your workplace correcting everyone else's speech, most people have no idea what these things mean.

Instead, walk in wisdom and love as we all grow up in the Lord. And pray for opportunities to share the truth of God's Word everyday.

Eph 4:14-16
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
NIV

God Bless!

17 comments:

Joan said...

I was convicted of using the word 'luck' a few years back. At first I had to catch myself and I would substitute the word 'blessed.'

People take notice when I use the word now.

Words do matter.

Thanks for sharing this.
God Bless

Tamatha said...

lol...whenever anyone wishes me "good luck" I tell them "I don't believe in luck but thanks anyway".

Marla said...

I never really thought of it that way, thanks for sharing. I definitely think "blessed" is more appropriate!

Anonymous said...

I've had these very same conversations before and even heard sermons on it...as God's children we must remember Who we give glory and praise to every day, every minute. Thanks for the reminder!

Darci said...

I grew up with my dad replying with the I don't believe in luck, and then saying bless you in return :)

Anonymous said...

This is so true! I say it often without even thinking about it. I don't believe in luck, so why is something a casually say? Thanks for the scripture references.

concerned parent said...

Good information on two words used constantly. I need to watch my words more carefully and not use them so freely.

Xandra@Heart-of-Service said...

When someone comments that "You're so lucky!" or "It's fate", I use the opportunity to (briefly) say something about God sovereignty over my life. Nothing ever just happens...it's all God. That seems to go down better than policing their speech, which I am wont to do on occasion, but is not nearly as effective as gentle guidance.

Xandra

Praise and Coffee said...

Xandra, I agree, that's what I try to do also. :)

Linda said...

Thanks for this post. I have never liked the word lucky or coincidence. I believe it's blessed or Godincidence. Like Joan commented though, we, believers, have to be convicted by the use of these words before we can rid ourselves of them.
Blessings,
Linda

Anonymous said...

Sue,
I am glad you brought this up! Yes, I agree that we are not to "police" others. I know once it becomes part of my knowledge then I try to make a strong effort not to make it a part of my life.
There are also words like "sprite"-
a disembodied spirit; just think about the ad "obey your thirst". Or the word "weird"-- soothsayer, of, or relating to witchcraft.
In our first years of home schooling, we had a curriculum that explained about the dictionary and how to look up words. Well, some of our daughter's friends were telling us the meaning of these and so we looked them up for ourselves.
I agree words do matter.
Miriam :)
p.s.--Sue, thank you for the email. I'm praying for McCain/Palin!

A Stone Gatherer said...

So true, so true! Years ago before a surgery my dad was supposed to have I said "Good Luck Dad". He corrected me and said that luck had nothing to do with it! God was in control! Since then I can say I have never been able to say "good luck"! Definately not karma! Your right, those defintions do say it all!

Christy said...

Thanks for sharing truth!

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Sue -

Ditto - my life is not a matter or chance or "luck." I'm a child of the King, and He has a purpose and plan for my life.

Blessings,
Susan :)

verità said...

thank you for this, and also adding karma to this "luck" post!

RamblingMother said...

Thanks for sharing the code for the vote for life.

candypb said...

I would have never thought to study these words. I'm so thankful that you did.
I will remember this, and find more peace in my own words.
It's so often that you say things with out thinking.
Thanks for the Biblical referance.

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