I listened to a message recently on the importance of
choosing what is better. I actually like the fact that the focus was not on
choosing what is “best” because I think we deceive ourselves if we think we are
capable of consistent “best” choosing. Occasionally we may stumble over it but
it seems a similar situation as when the Jewish leader came up to Jesus and
addressed him as “good teacher.” Jesus’ response was “why do you call be ‘good?’
Only God is good.” God is capable of “best.” So, striving to choose the better
is good enough for me.
The points shared by this pastor were good but I found
myself wishing he would have gone a little further in this one area…though it
would not have been popular. Choosing what is better does not guarantee that
better things are going to happen to you! It is possible that they might; but,
it is just as possible that things will take, humanly, a turn for the worse (if
you haven’t read In His Steps, you should!!
Here are a few cases in point. If you choose to give of your
resources for the Kingdom, in spite of some of the promises in scripture, you
may have to learn to live on less. If you choose to commit yourself to serving
others you may have to wait until heaven to be great. If you follow God in
obedience to serve him in another country as a missionary, it may cost you your
life. Rewards for better choices are rarely instant and seldom make any sense
in the world’s economy.
Why choose the better option if it is going to cost you? We
choose what is better (you might substitute the word “obey” in there) because it
is the better thing to do. It is what our Master would do and aren’t we
supposed to be about his business, regardless of the fall out?
With better choices comes peace…both understandable peace
and the peace that passes understanding. Have mercy on me, a sinner bent toward
choosing what’s better for me, not for you.
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