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Don't Go Knocking or Crossing

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “knock on wood.”  You’ve probably also heard “keep your fingers crossed.” 

“Knock on wood” is a common superstition or good luck charm for people to say in the hope of bringing good fortune or to ward off back luck.  Some will actually knock their knuckles on a piece of wood.

“Keep your fingers crossed” is also a common superstition or good luck charm people say in the hope that something good will happen.  Some will physically cross their fingers and maybe even encourage you to do the same with them. 

There’s sort of an equivalent in the Bible that predates both expressions:

Jeremiah 7:4 says:  Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”  (Jer 7:4)

At that time, people had evidently developed a false sense of security in the invincibility of Jerusalem because God dwelt in the temple in Jerusalem.  They used the expression “this is the temple of the Lord” as a type of good luck charm that would supposedly protect them, and the city, from harm.

Jeremiah’s triple repetition of the phrase may have been his way of mocking the false sense of security.  Or, it could be that the people repeated the phrase in an effort to bolster the good luck in their good luck charm.

I’m wondering if there are modern day equivalents for us as Christians.  Do we intentionally or unintentionally use some “Christian” things as a type of good luck charm?  Maybe it’s in:

What I say;

What I put on;

What I am involved in;

What or who I associate with.

I could go into detail with any of those but it would likely just raise some hackles.  Regardless of whether you use one or even what it is, if we aren’t supposed to look to charms to bring us what we think we need, what should we look to?

James tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…”  (James 1:17).

What we really need does not come from some lucky charm but comes down from our heavenly Father. So don't go knocking or crossing.  Look up!

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