Luck.

Last week I was talking with a girl at work. The subject of the conversation was luck. It was a very short conversation. We had some guest come into the resteraunt, so we both had to get back to work. I'm glad those guest came in when they did, because I think if the conversation would have went any further it would have turned offensive, and this girl would surely not be opened to have further discussions in the future.

The reason why I'm actually writing this today is because I actually heard someone today at church asked someone if they were having "any luck" with something that this person has been going through. Hearing this word used in church bothers me.

Why does it bother me? Allow me to try and explain myself.

When we was having our discussion at work concerning luck, we both agreed that luck is defined as being something good or bad that happens outside of all control. Just a very basic, simple definition. It covers luck in general, as well as good luck and bad luck.


Webster's defines luck as "1 a : a force that brings good fortune or adversity b : the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual."

If luck is a force, then that would mean that it would have power, just as gravity has power to pull objects back down to the earth when tossed up into the air.

If luck is a force, then it would obviously have purpose, just as gravity serves a purpose. Gravity is a force that keeps us all grounded, so to speak. That's it's purpose.

So, is luck a real force? Does luck really exist? And should Christians continue to use the word "luck" in their everyday vocabulary? Let's look to the Bible and try to come to some kind of conclusion here.

First off I want to start with Matthew 5:44-46. There we read Jesus saying, "But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much."

The thing I find interesting about this passage is the Jesus says that God gives sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and unjust alike. For the purpose of this study we'll look at sunlight as being a good thing and rain being a bad thing, because nobody really likes a rainy day, anyways, except storm chasers!!

What's interesting about both sunlight and rain is that they're both needed in order for plants to grow. Just like plants, God's interested in our growth. Amen? He's interested in our character, not so much our happiness. If he was interested in only our happiness, then He would give us sunlight everyday just so that we could be happy all the time.

But what would happen to a plant if you was to expose it to sunlight everyday and never water it? It would eventually dry up and die.

So God sends the rain. He gives sunlight. We grow. We bear fruit. This is His desire for us.

So God gives everyone good days, and He gives everyone bad days. He uses these experiences to build our character and to make us the best people that we possibly can be.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

I love it that the Apostle Paul uses the words "all things" in this scripture. "All things" mean both good things and bad things.

So God uses "all things" to work together for good--that's both the good things that happen to us and the bad things that happen to us.

So "all things" that happen to us then must happen for a purpose, and that purpose is to bring about good in our lives, to produce in us a good, godly character.

So, does God cause luck to happen then? What does the Bible say about luck?

Interestingly enough, the Bible never mentions anything about luck. You will not find the word "luck" in the Bible at all. You also won't find the word "coincidense," either in the Bible.

Why's that? Because the Hebrew/Jewish people believe that everything that God does is with purpose and intent. God doesn't have accidents. God, speaking through the prophet, Isaiah, said this about His word: "It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."

With that said, everything happens for a reason and a purpose. Nothing happens by chance.

So then, does luck exist? If luck is some force that causes good things and bad things to happen randomly, then no, there's no such thing as luck.

Is it alright, then, for Christians to use the word "luck?"

I think luck is a 4-letter word. I think luck robs glory from God when we give credit to luck for the good things that happen in lives. I think it also takes away from His Lordship over us when we accredit the bad things in life to luck. In other words by saying that luck randomly caused something bad to take place in our life we are denying God's work that He's doing to stregthen our character and resolve, which is a good thing, ultimately!

Therefor, is it a sin to use the word luck? Will you go to hell for it?

I don't think it is a sin, or that using that word will send you to hell.

All I know is that I try my best not to use this word, and I think that Christians, likewise, should try their absolute best not to use this word. To me it simply robs from God's power, authority, sovereignty, and who He is as a Father just to give credit and glory to some unknown force that's performs random, purposeless acts.

I want my words to be like God's, with purpose and intent. I want my speech to always bring God the glory that He deserves.

So, what do you think? Is luck real? Do you think that Christians should use the word? Why or why not? Let me know what you think!!