Being independent is often prized in our individualistic society. We applaud the “boot-strapping” millionaire who worked themselves up from the clerical position. We celebrate the actor who dares to take the controversial role. We commend the journalist who questions the status quo.
The reason all of these people receive acclaim is because in face of overwhelming cause to the contrary, they were able to carve an unexpected path and change the seemingly certain course of events.
In applauding the acts of individualism, we breed an air of self-sufficiency in our children. In fact, parents whose 25-year olds are living at home, probably wish they had instilled a little bit more independence in their offspring. However, the cause of concern is that this independent spirit causes us to believe that we can take care of ourselves; that we are in fact the captain of our own destiny. Which couldn’t be further from the truth. For in fact, we, as the Bible states “can’t add a single hair to our head” so how could we provide for our every need?
In truth, we are Solely sufficient, but the sufficiency is not on ourselves. We are solely sufficient on the One who imparted us with our very soul – God, the Creator and Sustainer of this world. Sufficiency on anything else, including ourselves, is wholly insufficient.