When I think about right and wrong choices and how they can have a lasting influence on a person’s life in a positive or negative way, I am reminded of four words that my pastor shared in one of his sermons. He said, “Everyone has a choice.” I’ve learned through experience that choices not only affect my life, but others around me.
My probing, analytical mind suggests that no matter what the circumstance may be, a person will choose rightly, or they will justify their actions and choose wrongly. I am persuaded that anything can be justified in the mind of a person if the desire to justify is stronger than their walk with God.
The question to ask ourselves prior to making a choice is, “Does my choice line up with the truths in God’s Word?” Some things are not in our best interest to have. I believe God directs our choices when we include Him in our decision making. It also helps to ask, “Is this right in the eyes of God?” This usually gives me the answer.
Why not allow God to help us by listening to what He says? He will never fail to accentuate which direction to take. He provides the peace of mind that’s needed when we listen to His voice.
Justification can create situations, whereby, a little white lye, for example, can multiply itself into many in order to cover up the first one. It’s a snowball affect.
Justification is a way that the devil deceives and lures a person down a path of wrongdoing. When people allow themselves to justify certain things, and disregard the Holy Spirit’s voice, they run the risk of diminishing God’s peace in their life. It causes uncertainty when taking the next step. It creates side road detours that are full with reservations and fears.
At the time a choice is being made, regardless of the situation, it’s at this moment that the Holy Spirit speaks truth to one’s soul, attempting to direct that person towards the right choice. When we yield to selfish indulgence, hidden desires, greed, or other self-absorbed reasons for not abiding in truth, these bring undesirable results.
When justification raises its unsightly head, causing wrong choices to be made, the person making the choices is failing to walk uprightly before God in certain areas of their life, or they would be listening to the Holy Spirit as He gives guidance.
When the right choice has been made, there are occasions when the results of that choice can appear to be negative; not in the best interest of the person that made the choice. But things aren’t always as they seem. God sees our honesty and it is He who keeps the record straight. In the end, righteous living always prevails—God sees to it.
There have been numerous times that had I misrepresented the truth I would have gained monetarily. Buying a used vehicle and having the seller offer to write a Bill of Sale for less money than what I paid for it, in order to pay less tax to the Department of Motor Vehicles, is one example.
When people justify this deceptive behavior to pay less, this practice only leads to more unfaithfulness in other dealings. Did I lose money? Yes, in the short term, but I obtained more in the long run, because of God’s blessings in my life than I could have ever gained by misrepresenting the truth to the D.M.V.
Because of my honesty, it allows God to work on my behalf to bring good deals my way, to find favor with others, to give me better job opportunities, and many more savings that exceeded the money I would have saved had I justified a lesser amount that I paid for the car.
(St. Matthew 16:26), “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
I want to be justified in the eyes of God in the present, rather than attempting to justify my actions of dishonesty to Him at the judgment. The choice is mine to make.
Did my choice in the car situation draw me closer to God, or did it cause me to take a step back from Him? It drew us closer together, which is most important. It’s not how much money, material gain, or getting one up on someone else that matters; it’s staying true to one’s convictions and walking uprightly before God.
If we choose to walk with God as His child, right choices must be made, even though these choices appear to cost us something. God always prospers righteous living. To walk in peace is to know that God is pleased with the choices we’ve made. What choices will you make?
Written by,
Papa Boyd
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