What Choices Do We Have?

by John Garrod

Life is full of choices. Biscuits and gravy, or bacon and eggs? Over easy or scrambled? Whole wheat or white toast? Regular or decaf? (Okay, I’m not sure why anybody would ever choose decaf, but…) Of course, not every decision is as simple as your choices for breakfast. We frequently make choices that affect not only our day, but the courses of our lives, and they and if I’m honest, those reactionary impulses are not the kind that pleases God. I’m fairly sure God is not in my biting sarcasm, nor in my shouting, nor in my sanctimonious tirades about how others should be living or why God loves me more than He does them. Or why my sin isn’t as bad as theirs. (Sorry, did I step on any toes?)

may impact the lives of those whom we love. Going back to college was a major decision my wife and I made several years ago, and that decision has had numerous effects on our lives.

Many of the hardest decisions we face have to do with how we interact with other people. I’m fairly sure that most of us face times of conflict with others, and often those instances involve people we love as well as people who have the gift of getting under our skin. I’m not perfect; I get angry. Disappointed. Hurt. Confused. And as I’ve heard more than one pastor mention, hurt people…hurt people.

That’s when we face a difficult choice. My flesh has its own response mechanism to those situations So, what does God want me to do with those people who push all the buttons I have? Can’t I call down a little righteous anger? A Holy Smiting? Fortunately, just as the Army gives soldiers General Orders to govern their duties, Jesus declared a duo of general orders in a sense that should govern how we handle our conduct with others. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:36-40, NKJV).

And there, in a convenient little passage, is the guideline we need for how we treat others. How does God love you? Do you love Him that same way? Do you then turn and love others the same way? Do you forgive as He does? I don’t know about you, but I have a fairly full workload before me just getting those two commandments right, and it doesn’t leave me much time for self-righteous rants or sarcastic zingers. Just enough time to love ‘em like Jesus did.

About The Author John Garrod is a father of six, husband of one. He is a graduate of Lee University (c/o ’19), a discipleship teacher at South Cleveland Church of God, and a U.S. Army veteran.