Order Out Of Chaos
There is a story—because there’s always a story— that tells the tale of a chaotic time, a time when there was no peace within and no peace without, a time quite like our times, and in the story you’ll find orderly steps out of chaos.
I have come to the conclusion that most people don’t have a sin problem, they have a chaos problem, if they’re not chaotic themselves they are surrounded by chaotic people. Nothing ever seems to go as planned. Just when things are coming together, they fall apart. Chaos.
The world is a chaotic place. There’s even an area of science called Chaos Theory. And within Chaos Theory there is an implicate order, that is—an order of magnitude so vast as to appear chaotic. Modern weather reports are based on Chaos Theory. Weather patterns appear chaotic but they actually happen in a predictable way. So it is in the world—things appear chaotic but there is a pattern, and in the pattern a predictability that brings order out of chaos.
I like things to be orderly, but not too orderly. For example, I want all my books to be where they are supposed to be—the thrillers on the thriller shelves, the mysteries on the mystery shelf, sci-fi on the sci-fi, etc., and I want books by a particular author to be next to each other, but I don’t care if the authors are in alphabetical order, nor do I need the books to be in chronological order. There is such as thing as too much order. Too much order creates chaos.
Problem resolution is generally chaos resolution. Dysfunctional nations, businesses, churches, and families are generally chaotic places. Try to establish order by fiat and even more chaos generally ensues. Resolve the chaos and order is found. That’s why Genesis One begins with chaos, and step by step the chaos is resolved, until a garden called Pleasure is revealed. (Read it the way it’s written, poetically, not as a scientific treatise, which it’s not!) Resolve your chaos and life becomes a pleasure.
The story is found in 2 Chronicles 15 and, even if you don’t believe that the Bible is inspired by God, (I do!), the story is inspired. I’ll share the first steps out of chaos on this side of “The Door,” and the remaining on the other side. I will do my best to be concise so as not to create any chaos for you, dear reader.
RECOGNIZE CHAOTIC CONDITIONS
The Beautiful Lady looked at me and said, “What have you gotten us into?!?” as we left the Sunday morning service of the church that we were merging into ours. I had spoken there that morning and that was the only time during the service where there was any sense of order. There were eighty people in attendance and forty of them sat on the platform. (It was a big platform!) They came and went, meandered about, interrupted, and created chaos. The Pastors intent was to tell the congregation about the impending merger, but every time he
tried someone interrupted him again. So you can understand The Beautiful Lady’s concern. “Not to worry” I assured her, “Order will be established.”
And it was. A meeting was called, the pastor announced the merger, told the people it would happen three weeks hence, and that he was leaving town until then. I helped them through the next three weeks, and at the last service before the merger I announced—“I’ve been here helping you through this transition, but this Sunday morning I will be here as your pastor and at that time, unless I invite you to sit on the platform, don’t, or I will have you escorted off.” (Such a nice man!) One sweet old lady came up to me with fire in her eyes and said, “You’ve just made an enemy for life!” The following Sunday what should have been their eighty and our fifty turned out to be three hundred. Good things happen when order comes out of chaos, but for that to happen you have to recognize chaotic conditions.
RESIST CHAOTIC CONDITIONS
Chaos is the natural order of things. If you don’t believe that to be true consider an abandoned house, a neglected flower bed, or a parking lot that’s not maintained. The house is falling apart, there are weeds in the flower bed, and cracks in the parking lot. Add to that your own aging body that often times gets “out of order” if you don’t keep it in order. Chaotic conditions have to be resisted and, resisting often face resistance.
Why would anyone in chaotic conditions resist coming out of chaos? Because, though the chaos may be killing them, it’s comfortable chaos and resisting chaos requires change, and change is difficult for most people. Have you become comfortable with chaotic conditions? If so, chaos will reign. If you’re ready for change, resist chaotic conditions.
REASSESS YOUR PRIORITIES
In our story chaos reigned because the people had lost their sense of priorities, the most important things became the least, and the least became the most. Sound familiar? When priorities are skewed chaos reigns.
What are the most important things in your life? Make a list. Now look at the list again. Are the most important things listed first? For example, you may have put “having fun” at the top of your list. As much as I like having fun, if having fun is at the top of your list chaos will ensue. Why? Because having fun doesn’t pay the bills, improve your life, or establish your place in the great grand scheme of things. The grasshopper played in summer and starved in winter. The ant worked in summer, ate well, and, (presumably), went skiing in the winter. Prioritize your list and create order out of the chaos of life.
AT THIS POINT… I usually ask my readers to sow a seed and join me “Behind The Door,” this week, however, I’m simply saying, “Join me “Behind The Door.”” Why? Because at the end of the blog I have a SPECIAL OFFER that you will want to take advantage of. So, join me now, “Behind The Door.”
