In Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda is famous for teaching Luke, after he complained that he was trying his best, "Do or do not...there is no try." I got his point, but these days I think he's wrong. There is a try. Trying is sometimes the exact best thing to do. I've been trying new things for the last few weeks, and it has paid off dramatically. Here are several "try" verses in Scripture (NIV) from the apostle Paul that argue with Yoda as well as with much that we teach each other in churches these days.
1st Corinthians 10:13 "...I TRY to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."
1st Corinthians 14:12 "Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, TRY to excel in gifts that build up the church."
2nd Corinthians 5:11 "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we TRY to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience."
1st Thessalonians 5:15 "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always TRY to be kind to each other and to everyone else."
Titus 2:9 "Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to TRY to please them, not to talk back to them..."
Two verses on trying to please people seem to be especially out of sync with modern teachings. With God's help, I will TRY to understand them.
