Articles
Choices
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“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (Deut. 30:19)
“When I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”
(Isa. 66:4)
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Human beings are rational creatures. We have the ability to reason on options before us, and make decisions based on that reasoning. It's a remarkable gift that sets us apart from the lower animals.
But that gift is fraught with risk. In a universe that is designed around the principle of cause-and-effect, the choices we make have consequences. Seemingly small decisions can have unforeseen ripple effects that impact not only our own quality of life and destiny, but the lives and destinies of others. Wisdom is the ability to recognize those ripple effects beforehand, and choose prudently.
God's word is a valuable asset in learning that wisdom. For example, when the Bible says that "a poor man is better than a liar" (Prov. 19:22), that's a simple value statement that summarizes a vast range of behaviors and consequences. A man can use deceit and falsehood to enrich himself; that's easy--and profitable. An honest man, on the other hand, will pass up opportunities to benefit himself through deception, and that conviction will likely cost him financially. But his integrity and reputation are more important than his immediate gratification, and time will bear out the wisdom of his stance. Whether rich liar or poor saint, it's a lifetime of choices that define their character.
Look at Bible characters whose lives were dramatically impacted by simple choices they made.
Lot chose to move his family to Sodom because of the financial opportunities available there. He paid no attention to the city's moral environment, and the move exposed him and his family to a cascading series of other choices, none of which were good. His original decision eventually cost him everything.
David had every reason to retaliate against Saul, so when faced with the opportunity to do so, even his own friends encouraged him to go for the kill. But David chose not to, not out of fear of reprisal, but based on principle. He refused to "raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed," choosing to let God deal with the injustice in His own time and manner. That magnanimous spirit served David well throughout his life. His choice in the moment was inexplicable to everyone around him, but it defined his character.
Every day, each one of us is faced with choices about how to prioritize our time, how to use our resources, how to manage our relationships, how to respond to mistreatment, and on an on. We must recognize these millions of little decision-points for what they are: God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing. The choices we make will determine our destiny.
Choose wisely.
--David
