On "The Best Laid Schemes"

Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, once penned the now-familiar saying, “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley” (source). In today’s English, we would simply say that our best laid plans, “often go awry.” Mr. Burns correctly observed that the things we plan, don’t always turn out the “way” we plan.

Regarding any future plans, James warns us, “Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow” (James 4:13-14).

Many times, we make affirmations about our future, when we in fact do not know what the future holds. James continues by saying:

“Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:15-16).

James’ admonition poses a real challenge for many of us, because we like to plan things in careful detail, and do not enjoy “surprises.” We like to be in charge of our lives and our surroundings, and we’re not happy when things happen that we can’t control or direct.

The truth of the matter is ...... see here.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets