The defintion of the word choices is "the right, power, or opportunity to choose".
Everyday we make choices that define who we are. In big ways like the commitment to honesty and truth and in small ways like what we eat for dinner. Life is a collection of moments that are born out of the choices we have made. Maturity and Character remind us that every choice we make affects the people around us. As the old quote goes...."No man is an island". It is impossible to compartmentalize our decisions in a way that they will not impact the people we love. The lie is that we can make decisions about our lives and disregard this impact.
Choices are a direct result of what is in our heart. If our heart belongs to Jesus and abides in truth and honesty than the result of that will be honorable choices. Even Jesus didn't want a dictator relationship with us. He wanted our relationship to love Him to be a choice that we make in our own heart. That is why He gave us free will. He desired a real relationship, a real commitment that did not come out of a divided heart. The downside to free will is that so often we exercise ours to make choices that our outside of the confines of His guidance. Rules and Regulations are designed to protect us. We teach our children not to play in roads....not because it wouldn't be fun to toss a ball in the street but because we know there is a danger that could befall them that they would be oblivious to as they played. Bad choices can make us oblivious to our own surroundings.
The more we learn about God and His Word the more we understand why He gave us guidelines to follow. He loves us and He wants to protect us....even from our own sin nature. The selfishness that exists inside all of us makes us all susceptible to making poor choices. I have watched people I love destroy their lives right in front of my eyes because they felt they had "the right" to make awful choices. In the end, they did. They had the "right" but they will also bear the scars of those choices and so will those they claim to love. The inability to see the future has destroyed many a life. This is so sad and completely unnecessary because if we would trust God and read His handbook for our life than we could see how He gives us insight into the destructive future of bad choices. What feels good in the moment is so often the most damaging to our soul.
Often we use " Forgiveness" as a justification for our actions. "I am only human" or "I have needs" helps to blind us to our impaction circle (the people who become part of our collateral damage). We all need forgiveness. Forgiveness is an amazing gift. However, I have seen the abuse of grace and forgiveness over and over. Just as I have seen the reality of choices be disregarded. See you can be forgiven and still have to live with horrific aftermath. Forgiveness does not magically erase consequences! Don't be fooled! The day we become a parent we are making a choice.....a choice to always shelter love and protect this person we are responsible for. We are no longer able to think just of ourselves but every single choice we make we have to consider the well being of our child. The same with a marriage...we stand at an altar and make a vow before God and our family and promise to forever consider the feelings and well being of that individual with the same concern as if they were our flesh and blood. Children, sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, family and friends, co-workers...everyone in our circle is affected by our choices and decisions. How ever fair or unfair this may seem it is real life! My life has a domino effect on those around me. We teach our children most by our example. Honesty teaches Honesty. Truth teaches Truth. Character teaches Character.
So, when making those hard choices....the ones done in private...call to mind the faces and the hearts you love most dearly. Call to mind the legacy you want to live. Call to mind the kind of person you want your children to become and then. Then. Make choices that reflect the mark you want to leave on those people...the mark you want to leave on this earth. Who you want to be that one day you stand before your Maker and give an account for all of it. <3
Our choices effest the people around us
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