Chose Wisely
Good or bad, necessary or unnecessary, voluntary or involuntary – the majority of our lives is a decision stacked upon another decision. The challenge in life is making the right decisions consistently.
While reading in the Book of Judges, Scripture reveals God’s relationship with Israel by raising up leaders, rulers and/or champions to help Israel out of their cycle of sin. Within the story of three of these rulers or champions I desire to challenge all of us to make smarter choices.
The first story was of Gideon. This man’s response to God’s calling and further instructions in life lacked much confidence and belief in God as he journeyed as Israel’s deliverer. After playing a tug-of-war battle with faith in God and God’s choice for him as Israel’s leader, Gideon led his family and the nation back to idolatry and a return to the vicious, repetitive, national, sinful cycle. Not a wise lifestyle decision.
The second leader I came across was Jephathah. This man was an established military leader. The main Israelite enemy of this time was the Ammonites. God orchestrated circumstances so that Jephathah would lead a force against the Ammonites and be successful.
However, be careful when making a vow or observing anyone in Scripture making one.
“Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: ‘If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.’” (Judges 11:30-31)
Not a wise choice. A pet could have come out of the door of the house. A farm animal could have walked out of the door of the home. But it was neither of those, instead Jephthah’s only daughter stepped through the doorway and two months later he sacrificed his daughter to God. Not a good vow choice. When Christ Jesus visited, His instruction on the issue of vows was -
The second leader I came across was Jephathah. This man was an established military leader. The main Israelite enemy of this time was the Ammonites. God orchestrated circumstances so that Jephathah would lead a force against the Ammonites and be successful.
However, be careful when making a vow or observing anyone in Scripture making one.
“Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: ‘If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.’” (Judges 11:30-31)
Not a wise choice. A pet could have come out of the door of the house. A farm animal could have walked out of the door of the home. But it was neither of those, instead Jephthah’s only daughter stepped through the doorway and two months later he sacrificed his daughter to God. Not a good vow choice. When Christ Jesus visited, His instruction on the issue of vows was -
"I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:34-37)
The third leader I’ll mention is Samson. This man was squirreled away from birth for God’s purposes. His superpower? Supernatural strength. Samson would be a literal brute force to the Philistine enemy of Israel. His weakness, he was unbalanced – he was more brawn than brains. After he started dating Delilah, Samson’s new Philistine girlfriend came to him one day and said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” (Judges 16:6)
Samson begins to play a game with her for about three instances of – I know what you are doing but I’m not telling you. However, Scripture reports – “With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. So he told her everything.” (Judges 16:16-17)
Because of this cave-in, Samson’s hair, his physical source of strength was cut, they gouged out his eyes and the Holy Spirit’s supernatural power left him. Then Samson was imprisoned until some time later after his hair had grown back out, while at a festival for the Philistine god, Dagon, Samson was brought out for show-and-tell and he pushed two major pillars of the temple down, collapsing the temple on everyone, including himself. Final decision – tragic.
We all can and have made some really stupid decisions in life. To be human is to know that bad decisions are inevitable but to be a better person is to continually try to avoid them.
Solomon instructed with his Godly, inspired wisdom long before Christ arrived - "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23)
Paul continues by saying being transformed into the image of Christ is a daily process that includes a constant renewal of our mind toward the things of God. God instructs through Paul -
The third leader I’ll mention is Samson. This man was squirreled away from birth for God’s purposes. His superpower? Supernatural strength. Samson would be a literal brute force to the Philistine enemy of Israel. His weakness, he was unbalanced – he was more brawn than brains. After he started dating Delilah, Samson’s new Philistine girlfriend came to him one day and said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” (Judges 16:6)
Samson begins to play a game with her for about three instances of – I know what you are doing but I’m not telling you. However, Scripture reports – “With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. So he told her everything.” (Judges 16:16-17)
Because of this cave-in, Samson’s hair, his physical source of strength was cut, they gouged out his eyes and the Holy Spirit’s supernatural power left him. Then Samson was imprisoned until some time later after his hair had grown back out, while at a festival for the Philistine god, Dagon, Samson was brought out for show-and-tell and he pushed two major pillars of the temple down, collapsing the temple on everyone, including himself. Final decision – tragic.
We all can and have made some really stupid decisions in life. To be human is to know that bad decisions are inevitable but to be a better person is to continually try to avoid them.
Solomon instructed with his Godly, inspired wisdom long before Christ arrived - "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23)
Paul continues by saying being transformed into the image of Christ is a daily process that includes a constant renewal of our mind toward the things of God. God instructs through Paul -
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."" (Romans 12:2)
Being transformed by the renewing of your mind calls for a daily process of deliberate thought about God, but comes with the awesome benefit of knowing "his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Renewal is not a one-and-done deal. The word "renewing" translates to a total re-do, overhaul or renovation of one's thought life. Just as if you were re-doing or renovating a room in your house, so this is a daily renovation but on a constant basis to transform you more into the likeness of Christ.
Jesus said in Luke 6:45 - "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
Renewal is not a one-and-done deal. The word "renewing" translates to a total re-do, overhaul or renovation of one's thought life. Just as if you were re-doing or renovating a room in your house, so this is a daily renovation but on a constant basis to transform you more into the likeness of Christ.
Jesus said in Luke 6:45 - "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
We see here where the intention begins and where it ends.
A possible flow chart might be - from heart ➔ to mind ➔ to mouth/actions. Therefore, three questions arise from this flow -
1. Does the end result help?
2. Does the end result hinder?
3. Has the Holy Spirit been in the process since the beginning?
Additional helps to keep in practice for a well-balanced emotional and rational self are -
First, include and/or invite God into every single emotion and thought. Paul challenges believers in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take every thought captive and make it obey Christ."
Mr. Rick Renner qualifies the phrase "take every thought captive" by saying - "The words 'bringing into captivity' [KJV] are from the Greek word aichmalotidzo, which pictured a soldier who has captured an enemy and now leads him into captivity with the point of a sharpened spear thrust into the flesh in his back. The captured enemy knows that if he tries to move or get away, the Roman soldier will shove that spear clear through his torso and kill him. Therefore, this captive doesn't dare move but remain silent, submissive and non-resistant." (p.629, Sparkling Gems From the Greek)
Secondly, allow His governance thereof. Imagine a beautiful throne, set in the middle of your mind, which controls tremendous power over your body, future, speech and actions. Many things have tried to sit in that chair of authority as Governor of your mind.
However, Paul narrows the choices down to two considerations - the flesh, which is our rebellious nature being Governor and would result in death of all kinds OR the Holy Spirit as Governor of your mind, which would result in life and peace. The actual passage in Romans 8:5-9
"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you."
In this life of opportunity to make royal mistakes at every turn, the art of choice, especially for the believer, must include the Holy Spirit at every level and in all major areas of our lives. This means the Holy Spirit is first in our hearts, then remains working as first in our mind and finally ends as first in our words throughout all the decisions in life, especially the major ones. This is when we can truly say we have Chose Wisely.
A possible flow chart might be - from heart ➔ to mind ➔ to mouth/actions. Therefore, three questions arise from this flow -
1. Does the end result help?
2. Does the end result hinder?
3. Has the Holy Spirit been in the process since the beginning?
Additional helps to keep in practice for a well-balanced emotional and rational self are -
First, include and/or invite God into every single emotion and thought. Paul challenges believers in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take every thought captive and make it obey Christ."
Mr. Rick Renner qualifies the phrase "take every thought captive" by saying - "The words 'bringing into captivity' [KJV] are from the Greek word aichmalotidzo, which pictured a soldier who has captured an enemy and now leads him into captivity with the point of a sharpened spear thrust into the flesh in his back. The captured enemy knows that if he tries to move or get away, the Roman soldier will shove that spear clear through his torso and kill him. Therefore, this captive doesn't dare move but remain silent, submissive and non-resistant." (p.629, Sparkling Gems From the Greek)
Secondly, allow His governance thereof. Imagine a beautiful throne, set in the middle of your mind, which controls tremendous power over your body, future, speech and actions. Many things have tried to sit in that chair of authority as Governor of your mind.
However, Paul narrows the choices down to two considerations - the flesh, which is our rebellious nature being Governor and would result in death of all kinds OR the Holy Spirit as Governor of your mind, which would result in life and peace. The actual passage in Romans 8:5-9
"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you."
In this life of opportunity to make royal mistakes at every turn, the art of choice, especially for the believer, must include the Holy Spirit at every level and in all major areas of our lives. This means the Holy Spirit is first in our hearts, then remains working as first in our mind and finally ends as first in our words throughout all the decisions in life, especially the major ones. This is when we can truly say we have Chose Wisely.
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