Playing GOD

I heard this term coined in an article I read a long time ago, but I’ve always liked it since then.  I like the term because it can become so true of us as our influence over others grows that we can at times start to “Play God” in their life versus seeking and being dependent on God.

Several years ago a group of us were talking about the various views that People (in general and Christian) have of God, Who God is...really.

1. Is He some Far remove Creator sitting just watching things play out down here?
2. Is He some Over-Bearing Rule-Creator who is sitting in Heaven with a Hammer ready to pounce when we mess up?
3. OR Is He a Creator, who is interested in our Everyday lives, wants, and pursues a LOVE relationship with his Creation, even when they are uninterested in him?

I’ll take Choice # 3! 😉  Now, I know I’m make a bit light of this, but honestly even Christians can have a (and sometimes are more guilty than non-Christians) warped view of who God is….and I can say that, because my mindset use to think of GOD in terms of # 2, the overbearing, ready with a hammer to pounce me when I mess up God.

For far too long I lived a life of fear of failure, versus living a life filled with Faith. Do I have it all together now? HECK no! , but I now do attempt to Live out my life in Faith, with a Reverent and Awe-Inspired FEAR of GOD.

Think in terms of just our daily relationships with others.  It is hard to love someone who you have Fear or Mistrust.   So, if it is true for us, stands to reason that’s a huge block and reason that most are not centered in GOD.    How can we absolutely love GOD , if we are so concerned with his punishing us for messing up? So, back to “Playing God”, if we are trying to PLAY or “BE” GOD for someone, then I believe we’ve already set up ourselves for Failure—why?  Because hold on to something!–We ARE NOT GOD!
Oh my goodness, LIFE is not all about me!
Slow and Deep breaths for those of you who are in shock.  So, even in using our influence, our ‘power’, our ‘relationships’, we can “Play God” versus being GOD dependent.
It is in this I truly believe where we will find FREEDOM, there is a great Martin Luther quote that is often taken much out of context, but he is quoted as saying, “Sin Boldly”   Let’s define that in context so you don’t think I’m crazy.  Here is the entirety of the quote and referenced resource:

If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, states Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign.
~Letter 99, Paragraph 13. Erika Bullmann Flores, Tr. from: Dr. Martin Luther’s Saemmtliche Schriften Dr. Johann Georg Walch Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15, cols. 2585-2590.

I don’t believe he is encouraging us to ‘sin’ as some misunderstand this quote to be, but instead encouraging us to be “REAL!” in our dependence on GOD.  I not only want, but need a relationship with God that says it’s ok to ask questions, to get mad when things don’t work out and I’m hurt or confused, and more so–that GOD is BIG enough to handle that.
A Relationship that can say, “I’m tired of this crap in my life”—probably made some of you uncomfortable just now, but that’s ok…I believe it is ok to say that…you may not, that’s your choice, and hey, I think that’s OK too!   Let’s all Quit Playing God!