Are You Making the Right Choice?

Author: Pastor Robin Tyner

 

Throughout the book of Proverbs we’re confronted with a decision. Do we choose the way of wisdom? Or do we choose the way of folly? The book presents us with a picture of two women, one is the essence of wisdom and the other is the essence of folly, and they’re extending invitations saying, “Come follow me because I have good things I want to give you.” So the question is which invitation will we choose?

 

Life is really a series of choices. Someone has said we make our choices, and then our choices make us. I agree, and I confess I need help in making good choices. That’s why I’m grateful for the book of Proverbs. Even though it was written 3,000 years ago it’ still considered the gold standard for help in making good choices. I love how it takes the priceless wisdom of God and makes it understandable and puts it on the bottom shelf so we all can reach it.

 

Several years ago, my wife Kathryn and I, drove to Colorado for a wedding and to visit family and friends. When we began our trip we didn’t get in the car and just go in any direction. Our destination was determined by decisions we made before and during the trip. Life is similar because it’s our decisions which move us either closer to God or away from Him.

 

My own journey to follow Christ started with a decision. In the fall of 1973 while I was a freshman in college God revealed Himself to me in a way that changed my life forever. It was at that time I asked Christ to take control of my life. I’ve made thousands of decisions since then, but the decision to follow Christ remains my best.

 

Decision making is a process. And there are things we can do which help us make wise decisions. For example, reading and memorizing the Word of God are essential in making wise decisions. I’d also encourage you to memorize verses and hang them in visible places that you can see on a regular basis.

 

The choice between wisdom and folly may be obvious, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy decision. That’s because we’re born with a bias toward folly. To be more specific we’re born with wicked and depraved hearts. Theologians call it original sin. And it’s both real and deadly.

 

Author Max Lucado summarizes the importance of our decisions when he says, “You can afford many wrong choices in life. You can choose the wrong career and survive. The wrong city and survive. The wrong house and survive. But there is one choice that must be made correctly, and that is your eternal destiny.”

 

Even with the best intentions we’re going to make decisions we regret. But praise God there’s Someone who never failed to make the right choice. His name is Jesus. And because of His death and resurrection, we can be forgiven. That’s good news!

 

Photo Credit: Joel Muniz, Unsplash

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