Clover, also called trefoil, is a favorite snack for bears, birds, and everything in between. Typically, a clover will produce three leaves on its stem, but people have noticed for millennia that every once in a while, the plant produces four or more leaflets.
In 2017, scientists examined 7 million clovers and determined that four-leafed varieties occurred once in every 5,000 plants. The rarity of this phenomenon had already caused many cultures to see the four-leaf clover as lucky. Some enterprising farms put science and superstition together and genetically engineered their clover to have four leaflets every time. They package and sell these items to those looking for good fortune.
Luck has always wormed it way into Christian thinking. Believers in previous centuries held that the four-leaf clover stood for “faith, hope, love, and luck.” This sounds appalling to our Bible-loving ears, but does luck still rear its head among modern Christians today? You can bet your lucky stars. Here’s how:
- Jesus+: Some people follow Jesus while also keeping some superstitions. They hang on to some routines, items, or symbols as ways to help navigate uncertainty. Jesus asks for their trust, but they’ll cling to some other things just in case.
- Just Bad Luck: When tough times come, we look for ways to distance God from the causes. Even when pain comes from the foolish choices of mere mortals, and God may be trying to discipline those He loves (Hebrews 12:6), we attribute the mess to bad luck. There may be comfort in the idea that my trial arose out of chance rather than out of God’s displeasure, but this kind of comfort will not help me. God does not determine every twitch of every leaf, but sometimes He’s seeking my attention.
- Just Lucky, I Guess: I have seen couples work hard, keep their promises, make wise choices… and still attribute the good things in life to dumb luck. First of all, every good gift comes from the Father (James 1:17). Our response to His grace is gratitude. The Bible also teaches that living God’s way is the way of prosperity (Psalm 1:1-3). It is not humility to attribute success and blessing to luck. It is not pride to thank God for showing you the better way to go.
Don’t let luck (or a lack of it) skew your understanding of God’s ways. Trust Him instead of horoscopes, rabbit’s feet, or lucky socks. Allow Him to get your attention when you feel cursed with bad luck. Give Him the credit for the good that overflows from your cup.
We are not lucky or unlucky. We are something better… we are loved.