Serendipity

(Originally posted on August 15, 2015)

Does it really matter if something happens by accident or by design? Does it matter if some master hand is arranging things for our benefit? Does it matter if there is no one up there that cares for us, and we are at the mercy of random chance?

It almost feels that this is based on some point of view issue. As Obi-Wan said, “So what I told you was true… from a certain point of view.” And later, “many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” If we take the view of a Godless world, then serendipity makes sense. Something random happens and we benefit from it. If we take the view that there is an omniscient God, then nothing truly random can happen and serendipity doesn’t seem accurate any longer.

But that being said, does the difference actually matter? In both cases we should gratefully accept what happens. We should be thankful, and take advantage of the situation. The only difference is who or what we are grateful to. If we believe in a God, then we are thanking a person. If we don’t, we are thanking a random confluence of events in the universe.

So if you believe in a God, then thank him for the miracles that happen in your life. If not, then thank something. Either way be grateful and accept the good things that come your way, and keep your eyes open for ways you can cause a “serendipitous moment” to occur in someone else’s life.

Be grateful and take care.