"The best laid schemes of mice and men - - -"
Meaning - - The most carefully prepared plans may go wrong.
From Robert Burns' poem To a Mouse, 1786. It tells of how he, while plowing a field, upturned a mouse's nest. The resulting poem is an apology to the mouse:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane [you aren't alone]
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promised joy.
The poem is of course the source for the title of John Steinbeck's 1937 novel - Of Mice and Men.
It is not wrong to make plans and have a strategy, but at best include God in the equation - - -
James 4:13-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
This post is in preparation for the One Word Carnival that opens on Tuesday.
The word is: STRATEGY. View the One Word Carnival at:
http://peterpollock.com/2011/11/strategy-blog-carnival/
11 comments:
Yes, Hazel, the best strategy we can have is to trust God.
Good advice. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own plans that I later ask God to bless them, instead of first asking God to form them.
Great point. I think planning is good. I do think that including HIM in the plans is an excellent idea!
I love that saying. I'd forgotten the original entirety. I reread Steinbeck's book over the summer.
This is always a timely reminder for me as I get wrapped up in my plans, and even though I know God is in control, is still get sidetracked. Thanks for the reminder. There is no better strategy.
What if God IS our strategy?
Sort of reminded me of that saying "You want to make God laugh? Tell Him about your plans." :)
We have to be so careful during our walk through life to put our Lord's Word to and through us first. Sometimes we [I??] just knee-jerk forward and forget to ask Him if it's OK. So much to learn forever and ever...
One of my favorite scriptures. I always need that reminder.
An excellent (and timely) reminder that our best plans are still subject to the Master plan. :)
I hadn't heard Robert Burns poem before-- or the connection to John Steinbeck's title. Interesting.
We simply don't have God's perspective or His eternal vision. But He will help us if we seek Him.
I enjoyed your post. Thanks for visiting my blog.
As the admin of this web site is working, no question very quickly it will be renowned,
due to its quality contents.
Post a Comment