How good are your decision-making skills? Have you ever wondered
“What if I had … ?” — especially when you didn’t realize the outcome you
had expected?
Perhaps you never realized the Bible is a book about making wise
decisions. Not only that, it’s filled with examples of good and bad
decisions and their outcomes. It shows good decisions based on right
principles lead to good results. If you make emotional decisions based
on anger, lust and selfishness, you should expect poor results.
The Bible reveals a principle that applies in many areas of life: You
reap whatever you sow (Galatians 6:7).
Sometimes this direct correlation isn’t obvious, but as we grow older
the results of our decisions become clearer.
If you look at the Bible as a textbook on decision-making, you’ll find
many helpful hints. If you want to make right choices, you can save
yourself a lot of trouble if you take a closer look at the examples
recorded for us in God’s Word.
The first child makes a bad decision
The first child, Cain, born to the first parents, made selfish decisions
that led to a painful life. Cain’s decisions led to his status as the
first murderer; he killed his own brother and was banished from his
home. How did Cain’s life turn so tragic?
“… He [God] did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very
angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD
said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin
lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over
it’ ” (Genesis 4:5-7,
emphasis added throughout.)
God told Cain that if he made the right choices He would bless him.
Cain’s offering wasn’t pleasing to God because it apparently showed a
lack of proper respect.
This short story gives us insights into making right decisions. Learning
to put God first orients us away from the egocentric, self-first
approach that ultimately leads to frustration and unhappiness. We must
learn to rule over the selfish desires common to us all. Cain’s arrogant
attitude and jealousy led to a disastrous act on his part—the murder of
his innocent brother, Abel, and his own banishment.
“And He [God] said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s
blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the
earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from
your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its
strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.’
And Cain said to the LORD, ‘My punishment is
greater than I can bear!’”(verses 10-13).
Cain chose poorly and reaped a life of curses and misery.
A blundering king
Another illustration of choices and their far-reaching implications is
to be found in the life of the first king of Israel, Saul.
Saul was confronted with a dilemma when the warring Philistines
threatened the nation of Israel. Saul felt pressured to act. The
responsibility of leadership fell heavily on his shoulders. What should
he do?
He knew he should consult with the prophet Samuel. But, when Samuel did
not arrive after seven days when Saul expected him, Saul made a rash
decision. He decided to present an offering to God himself, something he
wasn’t entitled to do.
When Samuel did arrive shortly afterward, he was shocked. He asked Saul,
“What have you done?” Saul replied: “When I saw that the people were
scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed,
and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said,
‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made
supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
Samuel responded: “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD
would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your
kingdom shall not continue … because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:8-14,
emphasis added).
Saul forfeited his kingship, lapsed into depression, turned to a
fortune-teller for help, attempted murder and in the end took his own
life. His decisions cost him dearly.
Are these examples relevant to us today? Perhaps they seem remote and
out of context in our modern world. However, we should keep in mind that
the principles still apply.
Don’t forget that we exist for a purpose. God created us with the
potential to one day be a part of His family. Learning to make wise
decisions based on God’s instructions is one of the primary lessons
everyone needs to learn.
God tells us not to rely on our “own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death,” He tells us (Proverbs 14:12).
How, then, do we learn to make wise decisions?
Keys to right decisions
Seek wisdom. Making the right choices is much easier when we seek
wisdom. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom,” wrote
King Solomon (Proverbs 4:7).
We are overwhelmed with options and opportunities. But core values do
not change. Learning to show respect for God as Creator of all things is
fundamental to a successful life. Read the wisdom of the book of
Proverbs and make it your daily quest to seek understanding and
knowledge and apply them to decision-making.
Obey God. After a blessed and comfortable life that enabled Solomon to
experiment with all types of pleasures and projects, he summarized what
he had learned. His conclusion, based on a lifetime of experimentation,
was this: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole
duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,
King James Version). Jesus of Nazareth taught His disciples a similar
lesson: “… Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Both
Jesus Christ and Solomon knew that the physical things that seem the
most important to us aren’t all that significant in the long run. In the
end, obeying and pleasing God are what matters. That’s the only way we
can live a truly rewarding and productive life. We should keep this in
mind when we make decisions.
Develop healthy relationships. The Bible is all about relationships. God
wants us to be in His family. He wants us to learn to work together and
get along with each other in peace and love. Some of the greatest
mysteries of life are revealed in learning to work together—which takes
patience, respect and hard work to build friendships.
Having friends to encourage and inspire you can be a wonderful aid to
helping you make right choices. Often, by talking to a close friend or
someone else you respect, you come to see a clearer path.
On the other hand, some relationships can be harmful. “Evil company
corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Being around the wrong people will affect your judgment and lead to bad
decisions.
Structure your life. Athletes realize that to accomplish great feats
they need to practice and train. Some who desire to compete in the
Olympic Games or play professional sports dedicate themselves to rigid
training schedules. The apostle Paul cited an athlete’s regimen as an
analogy to show that a Christian should strive to live a godly life:
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I
have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
In
a world of easy addiction to games, food, alcohol, work or sloth, it
makes sense to take a look at how we manage our time. Making right
choices involves setting and organizing goals, then carrying them out.
Find meaningful work. “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter
leads only to poverty,” wrote Solomon (Proverbs 14:23).
God gave us a mind capable of amazing discovery, one that is stimulated
by problem-solving and building. Doing something profitable can help
you find meaning in life and make the days go by quickly. Some people in
the midst of challenging projects lose track of time and may even
forget to eat and sleep.
Remember that God gave man six days to work and one day to rest, which
shows our Creator’s intention that we should be productive. Making right
choices means we will work toward productive goals.
Take care of your health. When you are sick or depressed it is difficult
to get excited about much of anything. Staying healthy involves
watching your diet, keeping physically fit and maintaining a positive
mental outlook. You’ll operate much better when your body and mind are
healthy.
Paul asks: “… Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit …? Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which
are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
God gave each of us an awesome, intricate gift in the form of our
body—and He expects us to take care of it.
Daily contact with God. If you grasp the reason for your existence, then
you realize God has made you in His image. Naturally He wants us to
develop a relationship with Him. This realization helps us know the
purpose for our lives.
Wise decisions, when stemming from a desire to live up to our potential,
make life less pressured and more rewarding. Paul encourages us to
maintain this right perspective so that “the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Cause
and effect
Centuries ago God inspired Moses to present to the children of Israel
the same choices we must face.
Moses directed the congregation of the Israelites to assemble to hear
and understand that their choice to obey God—to do His
commandments—would lead to life. On the other hand, choosing not to obey
would lead to death. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today
against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may
live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
May you choose wisely!
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