This past Monday there was a news story about genetic testing for babies. There is an underlying question in the report pondering whether the testing is worthwhile: what are the positives and negatives for this scientific advance. Certainly there is the benefit of predicting certain genetic diseases- a person would have counsel to know what he should do or not do in certain situations. It also helps the parents in their prediction of genetic problems. If the baby is susceptible not only would there be guidance for that situation there is a likelihood that the parents or other family members are susceptible too.

The news story made me think about the future for in essence, the testing is not saying that one would actually contract the disease or exhibit the problem but that there is a possibility of it.

So, if you would be told your future, right now, would you want to know?

I don’t know if I would. (This is a big revelation coming from me, the person who is notorious for reading the back of the novel first.) I think that if we knew our future before it organically unfolded, it might be too much for us to handle. Too overwhelming. Possibly too depressing.

I think there is a reason that we cannot predict the future and that there are no guarantees with human existence- just the guarantee of death and taxes as Mark Twain once quipped. I think that God wants us to trust Him with our future- whatever that may be.

If we knew about all the blessings and honor and wonderful things that would be bestowed upon us, would we become insistent and expectant ? Would we feel entitled? Would we be prideful? Would we start believing our own press and that our success (es) are due to us and us alone? Would we enjoy the moments of our lives? The struggles, the relief from the struggles, the accomplishment of having struggled?

Or if we knew that disaster would befall us, would we resist taking risks? Would we be fearful to commit to relationships or to community participation knowing that they may break down some time in the future? Would we be forever a pessimistic people? Lacking hope?

Amy Grant has a song called “Better Not to Know”. It tells the story of a time when she had planted fruit trees on her property with the thought that this would be a good legacy of her inherited money from a grandmother. Unfortunately she sold the property as part of her break up with her first marriage and lost those trees. Years later the new owners called her up to ask if she would like to pick some of the harvest. As she describes it, that fruit was the sweetest she had ever tasted. More than a song about trees taking time to develop, it is a song about appreciating the now and all the ups and downs of life, not worrying about the future and trusting that what will be, will be.

When I think of the conundrum about genetic testing, I don’t know what I would do if that were an option for me and my family. I certainly see the wisdom in knowing a situation and preparing the best for it. Yet I cannot help wonder if too much information can confuse the issue and cause undo anxiety.

The only thing that we ever had to decide on a potential future problem was during the time I was pregnant with our boys- amniocentesis was the current medical advance and an option in some cases. There was a thought that we might have to have it done, if a sonogram showed any concern. (thank goodness, everything presented fine) If we were asked about whether we wanted the testing done, we would’ve said, we will take our chances. We were not going to do anything about the birth- terminate or not- and so we would work with whatever God gave us.

Fortunately, we were blessed with two healthy boys. With today’s medical options, I think if having testing done in order to have, say, in-vitro surgery for a condition, we would have to weigh the options. And I am certainly not equating a scientific method to crystal ball gazing. But to make a decision based on a future possibility- I think I would still take my chances.

Two Bible verses come to mind: Jeremiah 29: 11- “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” and Matthew 7: 34- “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

When I start worrying and thinking about the future, I find those two verses comforting. God knows our plans. He knows our future as He knows everything about us. If we trust Him with those plans, we cannot possibly go wrong. He doesn’t say that the future will be easy and at other times He reminds us that the way is difficult. But, we can rest assured that in trusting the One who spoke creation into being, who conquered death and all our fears and sins and who knows our past, present and future is the approach that gives us peace.

What about you? Do you think it is good to know the future? Are you a big planner? How has that helped or hindered your future? Do you read the end of the novel first?

Is it better to know or not to know?

Click here to hear the song: Better Not to Know

We sowed our seeds

Watered with tears

Waiting for signs of growth

Took months of days

And then took years.

We took our steps

We took our falls

Somewhere along the way

We just got lost

And we lost it all.

But nothing ventured, nothing gained

The risk of living is the pain

And what will be will be anyway

Oh, it's better not to know

The way it's gonna go

What will die and what will grow.

Goodbye more than hello

It's better not to know

Those tiny stems became these trees

With dirt and storm

And sun and air to breathe

Like you and me.

And some fell down

And some grew tall

And those surviving twenty winter thaws

Have the sweetest fruit of all.

But innocence and planting day

Are both long gone

So much has changed

And if we had to do it all again

Oh, it's better not to know

The way it's gonna go

What will die and what will grow.

Oh, nothing stays the same

Life flickers like a flame,

As the seasons come and go

Goodbye more than hello

It's better not to know

Is it better, better not to know?

Is it better, (is it better), is it better?

We sowed our seeds

Watered with tears

Oh, it's better not to know

The way it's gonna go

What will die and what will grow.

Oh, nothing stays the same

Life flickers like a flame,

As the seasons come and go

Goodbye more than hello

What comes of what we sow

It's better not to know

It's better not to know

We sowed our seeds

Watered with tears