Refuge? Shield?

             You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:114)

                “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”  C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

                For a time, we heard a lot about the idea of being a safe person or place. In fact, there was a time when people put safety pins on their clothes to make sure others could identify them as a safe person. A safe person is generally identified as someone who will validate the opinions of the other person as true, unless, of course, the opinions of the other person don’t happen to include the idea that the opinions of all other people are true. Those who claim to be safe tend to be very biased. So-called safe people in our society are quick to end friendships and even become belligerent the moment someone doesn’t agree with them.

                So when Scripture says that God is a refuge and a shield, does that mean He’s “safe”? I know some people who have claimed “My god would never _____” and there are things I don’t believe God would or will do. But I have to agree with Mr. Beaver. God isn’t safe, but He’s good. His idea of a refuge and a shield doesn’t mean He turns control of how things are to be over to us, and treats our opinions as His law. If nothing else, there are times when we need to be protected from ourselves. And sometimes, protecting us from ourselves may require that we be exposed to what we think is danger. As shown in Job, our safety can be assured even when tragedy, crisis, and hostility come our way.

                When it comes down to it, safe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’m not suggesting we should  verbally or physically attack someone on the street because it’s clear they don’t measure up to our standards. We are to be safe in that we don’t mistreat people. But we are not to be safe if safe means saying everything they do or say is true and that we should live our lives according to their perspectives. And that’s the sort of safety we have with God. He will treat us as a person but He will not make our opinion His reality. He will protect us from Hell, if we let Him. But He may not protect us from events in our lives. Our safety is found in His Word.