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"The Myth of Self-Sufficiency"A friend of mine once told about his daughter who had just graduated from college, landed her first job, and secured her own apartment. She was thrilled to be, in her words, “totally independent for the first time in my life.” Her dad laughed.Indignant, she wanted to know what was so funny. He replied, “You’ll be totally independent when you have your own car insurance, health insurance, cell phone plan, and stop using my credit card for your monthly spending sprees.”Talk about sticking a pin in someone’s party balloon. But he was right. And I think God laughs when I think in my heart of hearts that I’ve got everything under control, that I’m equal to the occasion, that I’m resourceful enough to make a go of it.I imagine God views my impudence the same way he would the Israelite who goes out in the morning and gathers up manna, lugs it back to the tent, and congratulates himself on providing food for his family for another day. In 1 Corinthians 15:10 the Apostle Paul confesses—“by the grace of God I am what I am...” Every one of us needs to say the same thing whenever we feel like we’re on top of our game. Totally independent? Self-sufficient? I’ve got this? Don’t make God laugh.