Choose Wisely

There's a scene in an old Indiana Jones movie where 'Indy' and the protagonist are faced with choosing from a variety of cups. A wise choice leads to life and a poor choice leads to a dramatic, agonizing, slow and painful death. After the villain chooses and dies (you KNEW that was coming) the 'keeper of the cups' says something to the effect of "He chose unwisely."

Each of us faces a 'life or death' decision at least once in our lives, that's when we choose whether to be a child of God or remain in the family of Adam and Satan; sheep or goats. For those that shun Jesus no other decision really matters because death is certain. I'm not espousing any sort of nihilistic perspective but one who shuns Jesus and then decides to live a life of 'goodness' is just wasting their time. Nevertheless, for those who 'choose wisely' and accept the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ as atonement for their personal sins, though secure in salvation, face a hundred choices a day; each choice being an opportunity to draw nearer or to draw back.

The basis for my study today is

Proverbs 14:16 (NIV)
¹⁶ A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

It is said elsewhere in Proverbs that 'fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' and so it is. We could chase the rabbit of what fear is but for my purposes it is respect for the authority and justice of God, reverent awe for the power of God, keen appreciation for the love, mercy and grace of God and a fervent desire to please Him with every breath. A man that lives with this conviction in his heart is indeed wise and far wiser than the wisest man that has not such conviction.

Our verse then speaks of the person who is faithful and attentive to their relationship with God. It is a person who has been justified through that faith and their names have been written in The Book of Life. Yet, they are confronted in every direction with choices that either testify to their salvation or condemn it. I speak of course of the most basic decision between good and evil.

Though it seems an easy decision to always choose on the side of goodness, it is not easy nor convenient. If you faced a decision between an Angel and a Demon, your decision would be instantaneous. But ask you to choose between keeping the 'bank error in your favor' or returning it to it's rightful owner and the decision becomes much more difficult. Choosing to look away from temptation versus entertaining the notion to sin seems insignificant but it is not.

Proverbs teaches us that as a result of our wisdom we fear the Lord. As a result of our wisdom and our fear of The Lord, we SHUN evil. Webster's defines 'shun' as "to avoid deliberately and habitually." By that definition, we do not ever accidentally 'fall' as a distracted man walks into a trap. We are to be vigilant, diligent, persistent and intentional in our turning away from ALL evil ALL the time. An occasional 'dalliance' or 'indulgence' speaks clearly of the absence of wisdom and the weakness of our own conviction to fear the Lord.

A wise person hides God's word in their heart, contemplates it day and night, observes all that is written therein, loves unconditionally, listens intently, is slow to speak, delays anger, forgives instantly, prays ceaselessly and in every breath they shun all that is evil. There can be no quarter given in this daily struggle to 'choose wisely.'

On the other hand, the second fragment of this verse tells how to identify the fool by his actions. "Hotheaded and reckless" are key indicators given us by Solomon. The Fool is the opposite of the wise man. He has no fear for God and by that lack, all other matters are lost. Though he may know the Bible by memory, his soul knows not God. His love is self-serving, selfish and narcissistic. He is quick to speak, slow to listen. There is no value in forgiveness and it is only given as it suits the achievement of his own goals. Prayer is a last resort and in every decision is a complete absence of discernment between good and evil.

I challenge you today to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith. Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you shun evil? Really? You give no quarter to Satan or his minions? There is no habit, no proclivity, no vice to which you return over and over in secret? If that is so, then you are wise and have already entered into fellowship with God. You have chosen wisely.

Or are you a fool? Have you rejected the offer of salvation by the blood of Christ? Do you dabble in sin? Do you dialog with the devil as you consider what he causes to be put before you? Are you deceived in your discernment of good and evil? Are you quick to anger? Are your decisions prayerful or are they reckless? It takes only one bad choice to reveal the fool no matter how practiced his pretending.

To which standard to you aspire; to be wise or to be a fool? Choose wisely for this is the choice between life and death.

Shalom,

Carl