Who's Business

You know the cliche' "Mind your own business". I have decided that it is good advice. The difficult part is knowing what is your own business and what is someone elses business. I like the song by Michael McLean "Which Part Is Mine". The words say:

She was only a dairyman's daughter,
She was only a child of thirteen,
But the Stars on the radio
Brightened her nights with a dream.
So she called up her best girlfriend, Jenny,
'Cause she thought they would make quite a pair.
She said, "lets you and me try to sing
Harmony at the amateur night at the fair."
But she only had the range of an alto,
So the part she new best went to her friend.
And when Jenny's soprano drowned out the piano
They'd have to start over again.
And the dairyman's daughter would then say
"Which part is mine? and Jen Which part is yours?
Could you tell me one more time,
I'm never quite sure.
And I won't cross the line like I have before
So please help me learn which part is mine,
And which part is yours."

She grew up and got married to Bobby,
Kept him working on his MBA.
They had two little redheaded children
And one on the way.
Everybody said she could work wonders,
And she wondered what everyone meant,
She played so many rolls-- it was taking its toll--
And she feared that her time was misspent.
So she opened her heart to her husband
They discussed everything on her list
From the kids, to the job, to her feelings for her Bob,
But what it really boiled down to was this:
"Which part is mine? and, Bob, Which part is yours?
Let's review it one more time,
I guess I'm not sure.
And I won't cross the line like I have before,
If we'll just define which part is mine,
And which part is yours."

Every sleepless night knows many mothers,
Who are wond'ringif they've done all right.
And the dairyman's daughter
Knew more than a few of those nights.
Had she given her son too much freedom?
Had she smothered her two teenage girls?
Did she spoil them too much or not trust them enough
To prepare them for life in this world?
So she opened her heart to the heavens,
And she spoke of her children by name.
And the prayer that she prayed that her kids
Would be saved had a very familiar refrain:
She said "Lets review this again.
Which part is mine, God? Which part is yours?
Could you tell me one more time,
I'm never quite sure.
And I won't cross the line like I have before
But it gets so confusing sometimes.
Should I do more, or trust the Divine?
Please, just help me define which part's mine
And which part is yours.

"...
It's the answer that I've been longing for!
After I've done my best
I know you'll do the rest."


I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 kinds of business. My business, someone elses business, and God's business. It is sometimes hard in close relationships to know what is my business and what is theirs. But I think I know what God's business is. He is in the business of Miracles, Tender Mercies and taking our best and making it adequate.
So while we try to figure out which part is ours and which part is not ours, we can wait on God and watch for his tender mercies and miracles in our lives.