Making Life's Choices

Making Life's Choices

Joshua, at his valedictory state of the nation address, laid down the options for the children, death and life, but advised them to choose live so they would live. 

Life is all about choices. The life outcomes we desire are achieved by the choices we make. We all have a right to make our choices. No one should ride another roughshod into making choices. It is a fundamental right of individuals to choose what they want. Choose you this day who you would serve, is the call.

That means, even God, who created the heavens and the earth could only offer Himself as an option for our choosing. Yes, He had chosen us, but until we choose Him, His choosing us can't override ours. We have a right to disobey and to refuse Him. He forces Himself on no one.

One thing about our choices is that they are to be ours and not another's. Within the options and the opportunities available, the responsibility is ours to use the right we have to make our choices. Freedom is dependent on the ability to make independent decisions and make the choices we feel is best for us even if we have world class advisors. Our freedom is infringed upon, when we can't make those choices that we feel are best to us by ourselves.

We help people not to make mistakes by trying to help their choice and decision making competencies. However, they must be the ones to make their final decisions, not us.

Choices have consequences. If we have the right to make our choices, we shouldn't be afraid to face the consequences of our decisions. It is called being responsible. It is true that to err is human, yet, the erring should not pass the buck of the results of his errors to another who made his right decisions and is enjoying the results.

Jesus Christ when putting forth the requirements to be His disciple told the people to count the cost before starting the journey. Being a disciple of Christ for instance is a choice that will cost you. You may have to forsake all you have materially and socially inclusive of every ambition with the very readiness to losing your very life. Jesus Christ didn't hide that from us. It is a choice that may be very difficult but not being a disciple of Christ is the option, but what's the consequence of not being a disciple of Christ? To make that choice, you must first sit down to count the cost.

Choices can be reconsidered based on changes in situations and opportunities. Though there are cases where choices can be almost permanent. But it's better to deal with every choice to be made as permanent. That helps us to process and to consider the parameters deeply before arriving at our final choices. We shouldn't take life's choices lightly, it can mean life or death.

The elasticity of choices is another thing about choices. Consequences extend beyond the person making the choices. People within the circle of influence will definitely take part in those fruits. Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit they shouldn't eat, the brought sin into the world, Jesus Christ chose to pay the debt by living righteously and dying, and so brought salvation to the world. 

We may choose to eat the positive consequences alone but it'll be difficult shielding those within our circles of influence from being hit by the results of our misjudgement but it's something each of us must do however.

We respect other people's choices. It's so so important that we do this. Of course, looking at end results and those who may suffer, we would try to help people make positive decisions but when they don't yield, we ought to have respect for their personal life's decisions. Though that may also give us the chance of making our own personal decisions based on there's, but we should let them be free with their decisions.

I may feel fruits and vegetables are best for you, you may feel otherwise, I should respect that. But I may decide also to avoid eating when I come to your house because of your unhealthy diets, you should respect that also. I know people sometimes find such respect difficult to give which tends towards control.

Some, however, wants you to bear the consequences of their bad choices. That's very wrong. I have made certain difficult and sacrificial choices in life, which seem limiting ordinarily, it will be very wrong of me to shift the burden of the sacrifices to others who don't see value in my choices or to blame them for not understanding them.

It will take a John, the beloved to take over the responsibility of taking care of Mary, the mother of Jesus, after his friend chose to die for the sins of the world. Any other, probably even His own brothers won't understand His concern for the world to the extent of dying for the world, when He had the whole world to conquer, being so gifted with such large a following.

Don't ever expect others to bear the burden of the choices you make. That's the height of irresponsibility. Those who may choose to do so are only operating on the frequency of mercy and undeserved grace. Anyone who chooses not to bear the consequences of your choices hasn't done wickedly, we must learn not to fall into that trap.

Think well before making that choice, it may mean life or death, it may mean poverty or riches, it may mean heaven or hell, it may mean health or illnesses.

Conviction is key in making choices because, every choice will be tested no matter how noble and valuable. And make sure the conviction is based on truth and high quality information that can stand the test of time.

We also should know that we can make the wrong choices. Even when we have the best of intentions, we may not have good knowledge of the possible outcomes to choose right. Whenever we discover, so long we still have life, we can still repent and take the right turn...

Review the choices and take a different route to our desired end. Life gives us the opportunity of second chance and they come every day we wake up. 

Being able to make timely choices is also important. Indecisiveness is as bad as making bad choices. Choices must be made, and be made as at when necessary. We don't have to be hasty in decision making, but what's not being hasty in waiting till an opportunity passes without making a decision? 

Again, things will happen that will bring us back to the drawing board, maybe a word, an experience, an observation or whatever, we shouldn't be too weak to return and be saved. As we learn daily, we have the opportunity to either consolidate on the choices we have made or to revised them in making new choices.

There's no place for regret, though we are often tempted to. Midlife crisis often pressure us to regret those choices we made when we had little experiences of life as young people. But instead of regrets, we can repent and change. Repentance and regret mean almost the same thing in old English but they aren't same... Repentance isn't regret, repentance is that I discovered my error of choices and I make a change, however, regret is just an emotional thing that may not motivate a change of past bad choices.

What choice are you making today in words being spoken, habits being cultivated, course of study, additional studies, career, marriage, number of children, where to settle, businesses to go into, friends to flow with, relationships, lifestyle, behaviour, spiritual disciplines and so on...Remember, you have the right to your choices but think well now before making that choice, make sure you are convinced and be ready to bear the consequences, make sure you reduce the impact of your choices on those in your circle of influence who are in danger of your bad choices and don't blame those who won't share in the burden of your error.

Think about this today, we can make that choice or change our choices to make a difference in our lives. Have a wonderful week! 

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