Frank and Beulah don’t get out much at their age, but one day Frank gets this idea that he is going to ride horses with his best friend, Ralphie. Beulah thinks this is a bad idea. “Frank, you haven’t ridden horses in decades! You’re going to get yourself hurt, and then you’ll be out of commission for weeks!”
Nevertheless, the next day Ralphie comes by to pick him up and off they go to ride horses. After two or three minutes of riding, Frank falls off! “Oh my gosh!” Ralphie exclaims. “Are you OK?”
“Sure, I’m fine,” replies Frank. “Just a little shaken up. I’m a little rusty, you know.”
“Let’s quit and go home,” Ralphie suggests. “Maybe Beulah was right. This was a bad idea.”
“No way,” insists Frank. “You know we did this a lot when we were younger, and we always got back on to show the horse who’s boss. I can do it. I know I can.”
So, Frank gets back on and rides some more. But wouldn’t you know it, he promptly falls off again! Ralphie is concerned, of course. “Frank, that’s enough. You’re going to really hurt yourself, just like Beulah said. She will never let you hear the end of this!”
“Now Ralphie,” Frank starts. “I know this is a little unusual, but I used to be so experienced at this. I am going to try one more time. I just know I can do it.”
Back on the horse, Frank holds on tighter this time. It looks like he might last longer than before, but no, off he goes again. “That’s enough, Frank,” Ralphie says firmly. “We’re going home!”
“Aw, come on, Ralphie,” Frank pleads. “Have some confidence in me. Just one more try. P-l-e-a-s-e.”
So Ralphie explains, “Look, Frank. I know I agreed to this, but we’re done. Besides, if you want to try one more time, I’m going to have to go back into K-Mart and get some more quarters!”
Some things are just bad ideas. Did you ever have one?
In Exodus 32, the Israelites, having escaped Egypt through the Red Sea, were camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, waiting for Moses to return from an encounter with God on the mountain. While Moses was in the presence of God receiving the Ten Commandments, the people below were getting restless. Moses had taken so long that they were beginning to think he might not be coming back.
So, they appealed to Moses’ older brother Aaron to take control of the leadership. They knew they were supposed to have an encounter with God. They knew they were headed for the Promised Land. So, an idea emerged.
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:1-4)
Bad idea. Have you ever rushed into something because you couldn’t wait for God’s plan to play out? Theirs was a tragic mistake. And lo and behold … Moses showed up as they were dancing and celebrating the golden calf that was their new god.
And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (Exodus 32:21-24)
If it weren’t so tragic, this could but one of the most humorous statements in the Bible! In verse 4, Aaron is “fashioning” a golden calf with a tool. But in verse 24, Aaron says, ”and I threw [the gold] into the fire, and out came this calf.” Really? That sounds like an eight-year-old trying to explain something to an adult who knows full well, that’s not what happened!
There is a phrase in this passage that describes what their impatience with God really was. Aaron said, “You know the people, that they are set on evil.” True. And obviously Aaron was not going to shoulder any of the blame. It was their fault! If you are a believer, you know that the truth will prevail. Bad ideas are just that … bad ideas. And there are consequences.
Don’t go for the bad idea. And don’t be afraid to tell someone else, “That’s a bad idea.” Be patient. God’s idea is best.
Have a blessed day,
Chaplain Mark