Once upon a time, there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day, his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically, “you must be so sad.” “We’ll see,” the farmer replied. The next morning, the horse returned, bringing with it two other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed. “Not only did your horse return, but you received two more. What great fortune you have!” “We’ll see,” answered the farmer. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “Now your son cannot help you with your farming,” they said. “What terrible luck you have!” “We’ll see,” replied the old farmer. The following week, military officials came to the village to conscript young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Such great news. You must be so happy!” The man smiled to himself and said once again. “We’ll see.”
I love this farmer’s response, but I have a problem, and I am guessing you have the same problem. I have spent most of my life living like one of the neighbors. Anytime something happened, I would jump to a conclusion—this is such a bummer. Why would this happen? What did I do wrong to make this happen?
Very few times in my early life, if ever, did I act like the farmer. I am, at best, just an average man, but I have had the privilege and honor of marrying two of the most intelligent people I have ever met. My first wife, Martha, was working on her math degree because she wanted to work for NASA. She was a brilliant woman who passed away in 2008. My current wife, Elisabeth, is also brilliant and has a degree in economics. Yep, both women I married are essentially math geniuses and waaaaaaay smarter than me.
I, on the other hand, used to balance my checkbook by having multiple accounts. I would write checks, and then if or when I lost track of what checks I wrote, I would simply start using the other account while the checks from the first account cleared. I would go back and forth. I did that for years. This was long before online banking. It was the 80s, and you had to wait for a bank statement in the mail before you could balance your checkbook. It was a system that worked for me, but we all know there is a better way. Remember, I said, “I used to.” I would never do something like that now. Why? I learned a better way. But I only learned that by being around people who knew more than me or knew a better way than I knew, and that is a key to being successful in life. Surround yourself with more intelligent, innovative people who think differently than you do, and then, most importantly, listen to them and do what they say.
Another lesson I have had to learn over the years was how to be like the farmer and not one of the neighbors in the opening story. I loved the farmer’s response, “We’ll see,” he would say. Did you get that? He didn’t spend time questioning or wondering why something has or had happened. He didn’t spend time worrying about the outcome or what this will lead to. He simply decided to just go with it and see what would happen. How many times in my life have I wasted valuable time worrying about things that happened? I told you my first wife died in 2008. She was diagnosed in 1996 with Multiple Sclerosis. At an early doctor appointment, we were told by her neurologist that MS was a death sentence. It may take years, but eventually, it would take her life. I will never forget what happened that day and what she said after we got home. We were both standing in our kitchen and crying because of the news we had received. My wife looked at me and said, “The only tragedy that can come from this is if we do not allow this to conform us to the image of Christ.” Boom, mic drop! She had just said in her own way, “We’ll see.” She understood that something else may be at work, and jumping to conclusions would not help.
What is your “We’ll see.” moment? I will turn 60 next year and have had many of those “We’ll see” moments. Life is full of them. I am literally in the middle of one right now. I have been in bed for 6 weeks with back pain, the likes of which I have never experienced before. I have had many moments during the 6 weeks where I have thought like one of the neighbors and not the farmer. What happens if I don’t get better? What does this mean financially? Can I live with this kind of pain? I have had many questions, and I have had plenty of my own “We’ll see” moments. My back is in pain. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? We’ll see! I have a change I have to make in my life in order to cope with my back pain. Is this a good or bad thing, “We’ll see.” I don’t know what you are going through, but don’t jump to conclusions. Is it good or bad? We’ll see! Life and life circumstances can change in a moment. Don’t give up! Don’t stop short of your “We’ll see” moment. Is my back problem a good thing or a bad thing? Will it be the end of so many things, or will this lead me to something better? A new beginning. We’ll see!
I love this farmer’s response, but I have a problem, and I am guessing you have the same problem. I have spent most of my life living like one of the neighbors. Anytime something happened, I would jump to a conclusion—this is such a bummer. Why would this happen? What did I do wrong to make this happen?
Very few times in my early life, if ever, did I act like the farmer. I am, at best, just an average man, but I have had the privilege and honor of marrying two of the most intelligent people I have ever met. My first wife, Martha, was working on her math degree because she wanted to work for NASA. She was a brilliant woman who passed away in 2008. My current wife, Elisabeth, is also brilliant and has a degree in economics. Yep, both women I married are essentially math geniuses and waaaaaaay smarter than me.
I, on the other hand, used to balance my checkbook by having multiple accounts. I would write checks, and then if or when I lost track of what checks I wrote, I would simply start using the other account while the checks from the first account cleared. I would go back and forth. I did that for years. This was long before online banking. It was the 80s, and you had to wait for a bank statement in the mail before you could balance your checkbook. It was a system that worked for me, but we all know there is a better way. Remember, I said, “I used to.” I would never do something like that now. Why? I learned a better way. But I only learned that by being around people who knew more than me or knew a better way than I knew, and that is a key to being successful in life. Surround yourself with more intelligent, innovative people who think differently than you do, and then, most importantly, listen to them and do what they say.
Another lesson I have had to learn over the years was how to be like the farmer and not one of the neighbors in the opening story. I loved the farmer’s response, “We’ll see,” he would say. Did you get that? He didn’t spend time questioning or wondering why something has or had happened. He didn’t spend time worrying about the outcome or what this will lead to. He simply decided to just go with it and see what would happen. How many times in my life have I wasted valuable time worrying about things that happened? I told you my first wife died in 2008. She was diagnosed in 1996 with Multiple Sclerosis. At an early doctor appointment, we were told by her neurologist that MS was a death sentence. It may take years, but eventually, it would take her life. I will never forget what happened that day and what she said after we got home. We were both standing in our kitchen and crying because of the news we had received. My wife looked at me and said, “The only tragedy that can come from this is if we do not allow this to conform us to the image of Christ.” Boom, mic drop! She had just said in her own way, “We’ll see.” She understood that something else may be at work, and jumping to conclusions would not help.
What is your “We’ll see.” moment? I will turn 60 next year and have had many of those “We’ll see” moments. Life is full of them. I am literally in the middle of one right now. I have been in bed for 6 weeks with back pain, the likes of which I have never experienced before. I have had many moments during the 6 weeks where I have thought like one of the neighbors and not the farmer. What happens if I don’t get better? What does this mean financially? Can I live with this kind of pain? I have had many questions, and I have had plenty of my own “We’ll see” moments. My back is in pain. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? We’ll see! I have a change I have to make in my life in order to cope with my back pain. Is this a good or bad thing, “We’ll see.” I don’t know what you are going through, but don’t jump to conclusions. Is it good or bad? We’ll see! Life and life circumstances can change in a moment. Don’t give up! Don’t stop short of your “We’ll see” moment. Is my back problem a good thing or a bad thing? Will it be the end of so many things, or will this lead me to something better? A new beginning. We’ll see!