The Gift of Choice

Let me put before you two make-believe scenarios.  First, there is a young boy who lives in relative wealth.  Both his parents have six figure incomes so almost everything he has wanted he has been given.  Some would say he is in an ideal home. The young boy grows to believe he can have anything he wants but that leads to some wrong values, selfish behavior and eventually incarceration.  The second scenario is about another young boy who lives in financial stress from a single parent environment.  He doesn't have everything he wants but grows to be a responsible individual who cares for others and contributes to his community as an adult. 

These two scenarios are not based on any real person, but few would be so foolish as to think that such scenarios are not being worked out in real life even as this blog is read.  Let me also acknowledge that there are those from wealthy homes who do grow up as responsible adults and, yes, there are those who grow up in poverty who end up incarcerated. However that simply affirms the point I am making. The question we need to ask is, "What makes the difference?"  If environment does not dictate a person's character, then what does?  Home, culture, experience, education, all of these things influence a child as he develops, but it is still his choice that will determine the kind of person he will become. No human being lives in such isolation that he is not exposed to choices.. Granted, they may not have enough exposure to alternatives to easily make right choices, but it is still their choice they are making  It is these choices that dictate what kind of person we are going to be or what kind of community we are going to be or what kind of nation we are going to be. Circumstances influence choice but do not dictate choice.  Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for his Christian beliefs during Nazi control of Germany under Hitler.  Bonhoeffer could have chosen to reject his beliefs and live more comfortably as a Nazi.  But he chose to be incarcerated physically and be free in his spirit to be a disciple of Christ rather than be under the spiritual bondage of Hitler's ideology and have mere physical freedom.  In the German prison where he eventually died he saw himself more free than the blind masses who followed Hitler to war.  He made a choice.  He chose not to be controlled by his circumstances, but to be free to choose Christ. His life became an inspiration to millions.  Hitler became the poster boy for all that is wrong in man. How would you prefer to be remembered?

Surely there are things that happen in one's environment that makes choices easier or more difficult.  But Bonhoeffer proves that it is still possible to make right choices in bad circumstances and wrong choices in good circumstances.  It is these choices we make that determine our direction.

With this new discovery, we now have a decision to make.  Before we decide, let's do a brief review! It is true that we may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can choose how we are going to respond to them.  It may be a difficult choice to choose to do what is right in very bleak and difficult circumstances, but it is still our choice.  We choose who or what is going to influence our values.  We choose to determine the attitude we are going to have toward others.  We choose to allow grief to consume us or not.  We choose to acknowledge Jesus' right to be Lord of our lives or we choose something else to rule our minds and lives.  We cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can always choose how to respond to those circumstances.  So, what do I choose?  What decision will you make?

Joshua understood all of this when he said to the people in Joshua 24:15 (HCSB), ". . . choose for yourselves today the one you will worship."

Some have chosen to believe they have the right to anything they want and to do anything they want. They often end up in jail blaming society for their suffering.  However, they are the ones who chose poorly.  Some, on the other hand, have chosen to believe that Jesus has the right to every part and particle of their life.  These are the ones who walk today in victory, but it is because they had the wisdom to choose rightly.  Some are overcome by their circumstances and live in defeat, anxiety and discouragement. They believe themselves to be victims of circumstances when it is probably the result of their poor choices. Some, on the other hand, have chosen to surrender their circumstances to the Lord they serve and have found victory and peace in the midst of their storms.  I may not have much control over my storms, but I have a great deal of control over how I respond to them.  I choose whether to respond in fear or in faith.  I choose to trust in Him who is Lord, gracious and holy or man, corrupt with the guilt of sin.  I have been blessed with the gift of choice. 

Who doesn't remember the Indiana Jones scene where the "keeper of the sacred chalice" says, "He has chosen poorly."  Later Indy chooses and, of course, "He chose wisely."

What I pray is that when I stand before the Lord one day, I will hear the Father say to me, "You have chosen wisely!"

The struggle to victory is largely the struggle of choice.  We will find the blessing of God's victory as we rightly exercise the blessing of choice.  Joshua is still speaking to us today, "choose for yourselves today the one you will worship."  Will we choose to listen?