“All men know the utility of useful things; but they do not know the utility of futility.” Chaung-Tzu
Ever have one of those days? A few weeks ago, I had one. Early one morning when my brother took me across town to pick up my car @ the repair shop, my misbehaving phone somehow stayed behind.
Can’t be without my phone for an hour? Nope.
(We were under a tornado watch.)
So, I drove 20 minutes across town to pick up the phone. Then drove back across town for allergy shots at the doctor’s office (previously passed on the way from the repair shop home to pick up phone.)
Makes sense, right?
Then there’s the reason for allergy shots: I can’t breathe.
No, seriously.
Flowers busting into bloom everywhere make this a lovely time of year, truly beautiful, but they make the task of breathing difficult for this red head. (My parents couldn’t believe it when I came home after working years overseas to find I’m allergic to 48 of the 50 airborne things in these parts?!)
Makes sense, right? Allergic to my hometown? Where I grew up without these challenges?
Then, on the way back home from the allergy doctor’s office, the engine light in my car came back on. The #@*$# engine light.
Oh, those happy, ignorant, moments from the car shop home spent plotting trips in spiffed-up car, with all systems spinning in sync. After numerous trips to repair shop to service misbehaving engine light, this time had such high hopes (after a high bill!)
Bing, engine light is back on.
Turned around, drove back across town to the car repair shop to check error code, or something. Two hours later, engine light disappeared with more investigative auto work. Trekked happily back out with healthy car, but 10 miles later, bing! Engine light back on.
Can’t breathe, car still sick (after $900 tab), but at least I had my phone with me.
These are inconsequential annoyances (although breathing is necessary.) But there’s lots of seriously tough stuff going on in our whacked-out world: bombs, terror, lopsided lives facing oversized injustice, and too many hard-to-bear challenges at home.
That got me thinking about the utility of futility. Looked it up & found it’s actually a concept contemplated by others. (Comforting, that!)
Overcoming challenges often seems impossible when viable solutions seem like exercises in futility. Why bother? When nothing seems to change?
Sometimes as much as we try, we can’t fix it. Maybe we’ve tried to think and work outside the box, doing new things. But it still doesn’t work.
The point about the utility of futility, however, is to keep on trying.
Michael Irvin, a famous American football player, gave a Hall of Fame speech 10 years ago I still remember watching with my Papa. He was a colorful character (nice way of putting it.) During his speech, this hugely talented football player cried and asked his wife & children’s forgiveness for his past egregious mistakes. On national television. In front of a gazillion people.
He left us with a message: “Look up. Get up. Never give up.”
Got that? One more time: LOOK UP. GET UP. NEVER GIVE UP.
The utility of futility: we keep on going.
Even if an answer is not in sight, we keep trying. Maybe change is slow in coming, but we keep going. Seems insurmountable ending things like global hunger, disease, human trafficking, and fighting for justice where hope has been hammered with violent oppression.
Step by step, however small, we keep on going.
Sometimes we change in the process…
Especially if we seek God’s help – to let go, and let God?
Change the way we’re coping on the personal front as we seek Heavenly shots of God’s love to help us find that sweet spot where the utility of futility and the futility of utility merge…
Where our want-to-be struggles with not, not-to-be, can’t be, won’t-even-try-to-be?
We keep trying, one step, next step…trusting, praying… one step, next step:
LOOKING UP. GETTING UP. NEVER GIVING UP.
grace, peace & futility utilities
Virginia : )
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2Corinthians 4:7-9)
looking up rainbow (outside our home!)
windy weather @ Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland
tide coming in @ Pemba Island (Tanzania)
sunrise @ OBX
