Supreme personal independence seems to be the goal of the day.
Financial independence, emotional independence, and even energy independence are all calls we repeatedly hear advocated for. And they are certainly with merit.
I know I personally endeavor to be self-reliant (Emerson encouraged as much). No matter the task or experience, I attempt to self-support through it as I feel I have been blessed with capability in abundance. This attitude is one that has certainly been beneficial in my career, but has caused difficulty with my faith. For in my efforts to achieve self-reliance, I often errantly cut out a need for God in my life. Usurping and then mismanaging perceived control over the whole of my life.
“Seeing his reaction, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who have it all to enter God’s kingdom? I’d say it’s easier to thread a camel through a needle’s eye than get a rich person into God’s kingdom.”
“Then who has any chance at all?” the others asked.
“No chance at all,” Jesus said, “if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”
I think the message here is that we are inherently limited, and that the degree to which our limitations affect us impacts our perception of needs and control (i.e. the the more limited we recognize we are, the more willing to accept assistance we become.) While our limitations are not necessarily a bad thing, our failure to recognize them leads to hubris and thereby a sense that we do not require external support. Ultimately a false sense that further limits us, and places tremendous burden on us as the supreme.
I don’t think the passage is telling us to give up all vestiges of control and walk blindfolded, but rather to not assume supremacy and leave the space for His impact and wisdom. As I look at my own life I am incredibly humbled. In my limited foresight and wisdom there is no way I could have charted the path that would have led me to my wife, daughter, career, and opportunities. They have all been blessings in spite of my insistence of mental and spiritual maturity.
Perhaps it is time to shed some of the negative stigma associated with dependence and instead recognize our limits. We are wonderfully capable and that’s a blessing, but we will never come close to being all knowing. Maybe we can forfeit our vain efforts to do so and instead relish in the knowledge that there is a being willing to support us whether or not we have it all figured out.