Good Luck
An American motivational author, Louise Lynn Hay, once said, “The universe brings luck to those who put their best foot forward.” So, if luck comes from the universe, is it God-sent? The word “luck” is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, but if a person looks closely, the subject matter of luck is described in several places.
In the Old Testament, many things could be considered luck. We know and certainly believe there is no luck when God is involved. But being human, it is easier for us to consider less thinking and not admit our weaknesses. Instead of faith, true belief, and divine intervention, we can say we were lucky or unlucky, as the case may be. In Proverbs, King Solomon gives perspective from the human side of things and then quickly shows that God is in control. In the Sixteenth Chapter, Solomon tries to provide insights about wisdom, God’s true powers, the failing of human nature, and life in general. Remember that Solomon had had it all but did not know how to keep things under control. In Solomon’s case, his luck ran out, and he had to reconsider his entire life. In chapter 16, he tries to explain God’s plans and the power that God has. Solomon suggests that we choose our words wisely and listen wisely. Solomon hated to admit that his actions had consequences and that God’s grace was directed toward those who deserved it. Every step made and every decision is under the watchful eye of God. Being King would not influence God when it came to Solomon’s fate. Isaiah 46 reads, “declaring the end from the beginning, which means that God would accomplish that He said He would do. This particular chapter encourages the Israelites to expect divine protection and tells them not to worship idols. And to look to God for their salvation. Again, this is not your typical luck, but a promise from God is way better than luck could ever be. One more place in the Old Testament that describes good fortune, or good luck, is in Daniel. In Daniel, God shows how He can place people into positions and remove leaders at His will. Even though we all know that God was protecting Daniel in the lions’ den, we still know that Daniel was most fortunate or “Lucky” that God kept the lions at bay.
The New Testament still contains stories and circumstances that describe luck, but it now centers on Jesus and how people accept Jesus and His teachings. It can be argued that the disciples were the most fortunate people ever to live, having had the opportunity to know Jesus personally. There would later be challenges and costs to knowing Jesus, but still, a person has to believe the trials and tribulations were worth knowing Jesus. In Matthew 10, Jesus assures the disciples of God’s providence and protection. This is not what we typically consider luck, but we would not want to bet against this given empowerment. In Ephesians, Paul has the task of showing how God’s plan includes Jews and Gentiles and that there are only two opposing kingdoms. There is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the Devil, which will determine your “inheritance” in Heaven or Hell, depending on which you choose. Ephesians discusses the predestination of those who trust the Son of God through faith and grace. This is not an example of luck, but it can be argued that we are fortunate to have these choices given to us in plain terms. Later in Colossians, Paul has the task of informing the people of Colossae that listening to false teachings and those with an evil agenda would cause them to face a deadly end. In Colossians, we learn that, without a doubt, God is sovereign over all things. How fortunate or lucky are we to know that God is all things and will endure all things? We as humans talk about luck and good fortune, but the Bible makes it clear that nothing happens by accident, by chance, or by magic. All things happen because of God’s power, will, and knowledge. Everything starts and ends with God.
Have you ever heard of someone who seems to get all the breaks and is always happy? That person usually has a good attitude, enjoys people, and is generally satisfied with the circumstances. It has been proven that we can influence our circumstances by being positive. People tend to make their own luck. The guy who works hard is lucky to get a promotion, and the kid who practices hard and long will be lucky and make the first team. Neither of these examples has anything to do with luck but occurs because of effort. Researchers have proven luck is not a personality characteristic.
“Luck in psychology is usually thought of as an attribution. An attribution is a decision we make about the cause of an event or the reason for something happening in the world. Because we’re social animals, the “event” we’re focused on is very often other people. We are deeply invested in figuring out why people do what they do.” (Blatchley, 2021) If you plan to rub your rabbit’s foot for good luck, you should consider the luck the rabbit had to provide you with his foot. Chances are you will get more mileage and better results with good old prayer. Be realistic and pray for worthwhile things; you never know what may happen. We need to remember Philippians 4:6 states, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” It would also benefit us to remember that Solomon was pointless for man to live in any way other than following God. Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 teaches, “Again, I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net and like birds that are caught in a snare, the children of man are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them.”
We can also enjoy knowing that one of the best news reporters ever to live was Edward R. Murrow, who ended each broadcast with “Good night, and good luck.”
Blatchley, B. (2021, 7 16). What Is Luck? Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-are-the-chances/202107/what-is-luck?msockid=31aa00c39cf562cf101514919d8b63e9