The Trouble With Ben

My internal alarm clock rarely lets me sleep beyond six and usually I'm awake before 5. Often before 4.

Wasn't it Ben Franklin who said, “Early to bed, early to rise, keeps a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”? While my body heeds his advice, I wonder how many friends Ben kept with such pithy, pillow tossing comments like that.

I have to wonder how many boys heard Ben Franklin's words and wished he would just be quiet. Ben Franklin must have ruined the childhood of many boys who couldn't live up to his advice, but had parents who thought they should.

Consider these Ben Franklin maxims.

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

“A penny saved is a penny earned”

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

“Well done is better than well said.”

“Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.”

“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.”

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

I imagine some parents told their children, “Why can't you be more like Ben?” To be fair he did have great advice, but then again he flew a kite in a lightening storm, too. I'm sure he learned a lesson – and then wrote about it.

For at least one generation Ben was the the gold standard for boys. Parents admired Franklin and wanted their boys to grow up witty and wise. They wanted them to save pennies. They wanted them to go to bed early. They wanted them to be willing to learn. All admirable qualities. All standards that were road-clocks to rambunctious boys. All reasons to wish Ben would find a new job that didn't involve a pen.

Why were boys so often uninspired by this man? Perhaps it had a lot to do with the way mankind has always been.

In the Old Testament God gave His people rules and they broke them. Then they looked to other gods to be more reasonable with their disobedience. Perhaps they thought God was just too mean, too demanding, too harsh. Unlike Ben Franklin, God had a perfect plan and it included forgiveness. When Jesus came, when Jesus died, when Jesus rose from the dead - forgiveness trumped performance.

What we couldn't do – Jesus did. What we couldn't obey – God forgave. What we didn't expect – became our best gift.

God's rules made us aware that we needed a Savior because no matter how hard we try – we will fail.

Ben Franklin had some great advice, but he could never offer forgiveness. Maybe that's why his best quote may have been, “How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!”

We shouldn't sin because forgiveness is so available. We should live in obedience and gratitude because we have a God who forgives.