Ramblin' Dan

Dan Roloff is the editor of TheHighCalling.org, and his blog, Ramblin’ Dan, has a little bit of everything. At times, a theologian, philosopher, comedian, publisher, sports enthusiast, and businessman, Dan offers a transparent look at the high calling of one man’s work.

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There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way." — C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

Verbalizing my ideas is the best way to sort out the good and the bad. Often, I will be exercising an idea with a friend or colleague and stop mid-thought. After hearing myself put the idea into words, I realize it’s a bad idea, so I stop. This wasn’t always the case.

When I was younger, I would verbalize an idea, realize I was wrong, but then be unable to admit it. Instead, I continued talking with increased volume and vigor. I figured if I said something with enough authority, most people wouldn’t know I was wrong. Sometimes I convinced people to join me in expressing my bad ideas.

Here’s a good example. When I was in high school, I remember arguing that school board members shouldn’t be paid. When someone pointed out that board members aren’t paid, I deftly shifted my argument with a quick, “What I meant was . . .” I was embarrassed, but I still couldn’t admit that I had been merely thinking out loud.

I now look back and see this as my sophist phase. I worked ideas out verbally, and I lived in a culture where argument was considered a natural course of daily communication.  My older brothers hated it. Instead of using words to argue, they typically used physical violence. My oldest brother was nice enough to pay me to shut up.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to verbalize less frequently. Hyperbole is still one of my favorite rhetorical devices, but I use it sparingly as emphasis and not as my major point. I listen more. As I listen, I’m more aware not only of the words spoken, but what’s behind the words. I practice verbal hermeneutics, a type of interpretation which includes the speaker’s point of view, current situation, method, and point-in-time communication.

The best part of listening more? It has helped my understanding of Jesus’ words “Thy will be done.” In my loquacious sophist phase, I heard those words as surrender. I would make a request to God and then walk away with a dismissive “Thy will be done.” In my mind, I was surrendering responsibility. Surrender is different than submission to the will of God.  Now I pray differently. I search for the signposts. I realize the mystery of life is beyond anything I will ever fully understand.

But I do understand this: I am not God. In this way, I have surrendered. My only hope is his grace, and I am at his mercy. I submit my will to his will so that he may use me for his purpose. I can do this. I can pray for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. I can submit. I can even surrender because I trust that God’s ideas for the world are wiser than my own ideas.

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