How Our Choices Shape Our Lives
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Send to friendAs we survey our lives, all of us can cite choices we made at certain points that set the course for our lives and put us on a path that has led to where we are now. Robert Frost expressed this so beautifully in his poem, “The Road Not Taken,” when he wrote,
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Our choices shape our lives, for good or for harm. We’re all familiar with the story of Mary and Martha, where Martha was all concerned with preparations for a meal and Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet for teaching. Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
Jesus was teaching Martha–and us–about the importance of choosing well, of establishing the right priorities in our lives, so that we don’t have to live with the regret of poor choices. For those of us who have made poor choices in the past and are living with the consequences, we want to warn those coming behind us of the importance of making right choices, because they will be living with the consequences of some of their choices for the rest of their lives. And for those who are living with some poor choices, God is in the business of restoring us and giving us a hope and a future.
Can you think of a choice in your past that completely changed the course of your life? All of us can look back and identify choices we made which made all the difference. For some it was a choice for good; for others it could be a choice that you regret.
Our choices shape our lives. Think about your choice of schools to attend, churches to join, jobs to take, places to live, friendships you chose, the mate you chose–the list is almost endless. They have shaped your life. It is critical for us to make good, biblical choices in order to avoid the inevitable consequences of poor choices.
Jesus said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (John 7:17). We have a choice of doing God’s will or not. How do we know God’s will? Mainly by knowing the truth of God’s Word, and listening to the leading of God’s Spirit. God doesn’t force His will on us, but when we choose to do His will, we are making a choice that leads to blessing, that leads to a life without regrets.
Have you ever been faced with a really difficult choice, but you knew it was the right thing to do? We make choices every day, and sometimes we have to choose the hard way rather than what looks like the easy way.
Most of us are prone to choose what looks easy, but when we do, we have to live with the consequences. Maybe you’ve had to choose whether to keep your job by cheating or being dishonest, or put your job on the line by following biblical principles of integrity and honesty. Maybe you’ve had to choose to let go of a relationship that was leading you in the wrong direction, and it was hard because you were attached to that person.
Moses was faced with a difficult choice. We read in Hebrews 11:24 through 26: By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ, as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Can you imagine what a difficult choice that was for Moses to make? He had all the wealth of Egypt at his beck and call, and could have enjoyed a life of luxury and ease, as a son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But he chose to be mistreated because he understood that the pleasures of sin only last a short time, and then there is the price to be paid.
Oh, how many people have chosen the pleasures of sin, and then had to live the rest of their lives with the consequences. Satan makes sin look so good, but he never shows you the price you’ll pay until it’s too late.
If you were given a choice between a beautiful, expensive piece of jewelry and a book on wisdom, which would you choose? In Proverbs 8:10-11 we read: Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Our choices shape our lives, and yet we are prone to choose the thing that glitters most, when often the wisest choice would be something else. I think of the choice Solomon made when God asked him what he wanted, as he took the throne and become king of God’s people. Solomon answered God, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
God said to Solomon, Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have (2 Chronicles 1:10 – 12).
Do you pray more for wisdom than you do for your physical needs? Our choices shape our lives, and wisdom is what we need to make good choices. How wise we would be to choose wisdom.
You may be familiar with the passage from Joshua 24, where Joshua said to the people of Israel, Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
The people of Israel were prone to serve other gods. They often made poor choices to live like the pagan people around them, to blend in and be like everyone else. And Joshua puts it to them: “Choose whom you will serve.”
We have the same choices facing us today. Is it more important for you to blend in with everyone else, to take on the lifestyle of the world around you, or do you choose to serve the Lord? Our choices shape our lives, and we have to live with the consequences of our choices. If we choose not to serve the Lord, it may look like the right thing to do, but before long, you realize you’ve chosen a path of destruction and heartache.
Every day we’re faced with choices, little and big ones, where we have to decide whether we will serve the Lord or we’ll serve ourselves and take the easy way out.
