Fortune Cookie

A couple of months ago I got an interesting fortune in a fortune cookie.  Usually my reaction to fortunes in fortune cookies falls into two categories: “Oh, that’s cool” or “That’s a dumb fortune.”  However, this particular fortune really made me think and think much deeper than any fortune cookie should.

The fortune was: “Trust him, but still keep your eyes open.”

First of all, this really isn’t a fortune.  They just don’t make fortunes cookies like they used to.  So many “fortune” cookies nowadays don’t include a fortune, but rather some vague statement that could be true about just about anyone or the cookie provides a piece of advice- like this one.

I can’t say for sure, but my best guess is that the “him” in this fortune refers to a boyfriend or husband (but this wouldn’t work if someone who got this fortune had a girlfriend or wife…).  I thought that fortune writer might be telling the fortune receiver to trust her significant other but keep her eyes open for any behavior that might suggest the boyfriend/husband wasn’t being faithful. 

Since I don’t have a boyfriend or husband, I started thinking about who the “him” in this fortune could refer to for me.  Eventually I decided that the “him” in my life that I need to trust more is not a “him” but rather a “Him.”  God is the one I need to trust.  I don’t often worry about little things in life, but I do worry about the big things like getting a job, being financially stable, trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do with my life, making the world a better place, etc.   

But what about keeping my eyes open?  What should I be keeping my eyes open for?  And why do I have to keep my eyes open if I’m just supposed to put all my trust in God?  I’m not really sure.  But I do think that even though God is going to provide everything I need in life, but all that I need isn’t going to simply be dropped in my lap.  I need to keep my eyes open and look for the ways that God is working in and through my life.  And then once I discern (or think I have discerned) how God is working in my life, I need to actively work with God. 

Clearly I did WAY too much thinking about a simple fortune from a fortune cookie, but that’s just the way I role.