Kobayashi Maru

Photo Credit: Kev Seto.

In Star Trek, the fictional TV series and movies, the Kobayashi Maru is a training exercise in the Starfleet Academy that is designed to test the character of the trainees.  The Kobayashi Maru is said to be a no-win scenario in which any option the cadet chooses will have dire consequences.  Several star Trek characters have faced the Kobayashi Maru, most notably Captain Kirk himself who, during the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan stated that he does not believe that there is such a thing as a no-win scenario…. and neither does God.

Sometimes in our lives we are faced with situations where there seems to be no way out, or we may have gotten ourselves into a something and think we can’t break free of it, or maybe we find ourselves in a relationship from which we feel as if we can’t break free, perhaps we are faced with a temptation we feel unable to resist.  I have on many occasions heard someone say, after making an unwise decision, “I just didn’t have any other choice”.  Not so my brothers and sisters for those of us who are believers in and followers of Christ. We ALWAYS have a choice.  We may not like the Godly choice, have the character to make that choice or the courage to deal with potential backlash from naysayers and those who might be impacted by it. 

The Bible is very clear in I Corinthians 10:13(NIV), that nothing we ever face is so unique that no one has never faced it before.  That verse also points to the faithfulness of God in that He will give us the strength and grace to bear what we are facing and/or provide for us a way out, if we are willing to take it. Sometimes we choose not to access the escape hatch God provides because of fear. But God so wants us to be courageous that some version of “fear not” or “don’t be afraid” appears in the Bible more than 100 times. 

However, He does not expect us to be strong in and of ourselves.  Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and the power of HIS might, not our own. And He has promised to never leave our side (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5 NIV). So wherever we go, He goes, whatever we face, He faces with us. The next time you feel as if you are facing a Kobayashi Maru, remember that it’s only a test and look for God’s exit sign.