Decisions and Choices

Decisions and Choices (September 30, 2007)
Proverbs 1:5-9
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Proverbs 2:10-11
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:


Through out our lives we make decisions and choices that affect nor only our life but the lives of others. Many times we make choices based on the conditions and situations of the moment. Sometimes those choices are good sound choices with positive affects. Other times our choices are based on emotion and lack sound judgment. Either way we have to live and die with the choices we make.
There are many factors that affect how we make decisions. No decision should be made purely on emotion. In reality that is not the way we do things. We make a lot of decisions on our emotions. How we feel at the moment. How we react to a situation or to decisions of others. Once we make and act on our decision it cannot be withdrawn. We are responsible for that action and the decision we make. If it is a good sound decision we will prosper. If our decision is made out of deceit, anger or lack of data the outcome is usually one we regret.
Just like words when spoken decisions made and acted upon cannot be returned for us to edit. Whether we admit it or not or like it or not we and we alone are responsible for the decisions and choices we make.
God gave each or us free will to make our own decisions. To control our lives as we feel is correct. He also gave us rules we are to base our choices and decisions upon. If we choose to ignore those rules we make decisions we regret and have to live with the consequences. Each decision and choice has a consequence. No one forces us to make the decisions we make. We make our decisions to do or to say what we want but we will have to live with the choices we make. Good or bad right or wrong we still will be held accountable for the decisions and choices we make. If not in this life then when we stand before God we will answer for all we do and say in this life.
Our decisions have long reaching fingers and will always touch the life of another. It may be the life of someone we love. It may be a stranger or a friend. Our choices may cause someone to cry or laugh feel joy or pain. No matter which we are still responsible for what we do.
If we decide we do not need to follow the rules of society we will have to pay for that decision with the loss of our freedom or some of the material things we have gathered and hold dear. If we choose to disregard God’s rules the payment is far greater and has longer lasting results. Should we decide to ignore the need to follow the rules that does not free us form the responsibility of the results.
We can make believe we are immune to the results of our choices. That we really don’t have to answer for what we do or say. We can color our lives with deceit or fanaticize a world that is far from reality. In truth deep down in our being we know the truth. It has been said you cannot lie to yourself or to God, all others you can deceive.
How we make decisions is a copulation of trial and error. We will not always make the right choice or decision. When we do make a wrong decision we must live with the results of that decision. The same way we must live with the results of a good sound decision. Our decisions will help or hurt those around us. The more we make decisions that go against the rules of society and those of God the worse our lives will become. This is not a complicated matter. It is not rooted in deep emotional or physical thinking. It is simply a matter of what is right and wrong. You can accept it or reject it but that will not change it. You can ignore it or pretend it does not apply to you. But in the end you are still responsible for your decisions and for those helped or hurt by the decisions and choices you make. The choice is yours to make. Make it wisely.