ruby tuesday, transvestites, and happiness

Jenny and I had a 'date day' yesterday. We were able to head up to Canton for lunch and some shopping. While enjoying a fantastic salad bar experience at Ruby Tuesday, I glanced upon an interesting-looking group at a table near us. At the table were at least two transvestites. Long hair, long fingernails, make-up, the works...but clearly dudes.

And honestly, I was not intentionally trying to listen in on their conversation, but I did overhear a little of it. During the portion of the conversation that I heard, one of the younger transvestites was lamenting over his home situation. He couldn't understand why his parents were so disappointed with his decision to cross-dress. He said, "You'd think if you go to your parents and tell them that this is what makes you happy then they'd be okay with it. You'd think your parents would want you to do whatever makes you happy."

At NewPointe, we've been in a series called "Adventures in Missing the Point." Talk about missing the point. I see it so often: people think that whatever makes them happy is what's most important. Dwight talked last week about how, believe it or not, there are more important things in life than mere happiness. Things like character. In fact, he said that God is more interested in our character than our happiness.

As the person Ruby Tuesday griped about his parents and not understanding why they wouldn't want him to happy above all else, I started thinking about how our relationship with our parents is such a great analogy for our relationship with our Heavenly Father. In this person's case, he absolutely did not understand why his parents were disappointed with his decision to cross-dress. After all, they should just be happy if he's happy...no matter what...right? Wrong. What if the things that 'make you happy' are destructive? What if they're going to lead you down a path of confusion and pain? What if the thing that makes you happy is going to hurt or impede character growth in you?

My 4-year-old cannot understand why he can't have candy any time he wants it. Shouldn't I give it to him? After all, that's one of the things that makes him happy. My daughters tell me that staying up late on a school night would make them happy. Guess I should be supportive of them doing it if it makes them happy, right?

You get my point. Our parents, in most cases, are like God in the sense that above happiness for you, they want what's BEST for you. My kids have a hard time understanding that. The transvestite at Ruby Tuesday had a hard time understanding that. I have a hard time understanding that about God sometimes.

But I'm learning that He always wants what's best for me. He wants to grow me. He wants to build character into me. He wants to use me. And what's best for me doesn't always equal what makes me happy.

God's not against happiness--that's for sure. But he favors character.