Photo by: Sebastian Tauchmann
Let’s take a second look at the two proverbs we took off from in our last post.
I asked whether it is biblical to settle an argument by drawing straws, flipping a coin, or rolling the dice after referring to:
“We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall (Prov 16:33 NLT).
“Casting lots can end arguments and settle disputes between powerful opponents” (Prov 18:18).
Seems to me that while the second (18:18) does refer to using “lots” to resolve a dispute, the first (16:33) is stated not as a way to settle an issue but as a basis for trusting a God who is powerful and present enough to oversee even the outcomes we regard as “chance” (Prov 16:1-3; 9).
The mystery is that God can reserve for himself that kind of control while still giving us real freedom, choice, and responsibility.
So let’s leave 16:33 in the background and go on to 18:18 to ask, “Is it biblical to draw straws, flip a coin, or roll the dice to resolve a dispute?” Seems to me that because the question is framed around the “biblical” thing to do in the context of resolving a conflict, we need to give as much attention as necessary to the big picture of the Bible so that we can consider the part in light of the whole.
If we do think about the bigger story of the Bible, we might be reminded in the face of conflict, for instance, that our own personal security is in One who is great enough to determine even “the roll of the dice.” Yet when this great God showed up in the person of his Son, he taught us by his own example not to try and take control of the divine hand (Matt 4:5-7). Interestingly, on another occasion, when a man appealed to Jesus to help him settle an inheritance dispute with his brother, the Lord didn’t just tell them to “flip a coin.” (Luke 12:13-15).
So when it comes finding the time to use “lots/dice” to settle a dispute, the answer is probably something like, given our understanding of the circumstances, is i.e. “flipping a coin” the fair and appropriate thing to do? To the extent that relationships are in view, is this a lovingly friendly way of resolving the issue? And maybe, (if this involves us personally), can we do this as an expression of our faith in God our Provider, regardless of how this turns out?
Last night, I heard former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden quoted as saying, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” The fact that the Coach was well known for his integrity and faith in Christ might suggest that behind his wisdom was a conviction of our responsibility and God’s sovereignty in– what looks from a human view– like the luck of the draw.
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