When the Israelites were moving into the land God promised to give them, the land wasn’t vacant. Nope, it was occupied by people who did not follow God’s commandments. So, the Israelites had a choice: serve God or serve the gods of the current inhabitants of the land. And this choice was a doozy. 

While renewing the covenant between God and His people, Moses tells them to choose God over idols: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV).

Later, Joshua puts their feet to the fire, reminding them they everyone serves something or someone, and they need to make a choice. “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as or me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15 ESV).

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What other impactful choices do we make?

We choose how to influence others. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Romans 14:13 ESV).

We choose how to give. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV).

We choose how we behave. “Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence” (Proverbs 3:31-32 ESV).

We choose what we believe and how that belief influences our daily lives. “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV).

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How do we make wise choices?

We fear the Lord. “Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose” (Psalm 25:12 ESV). 

And when we fear the Lord, He gives us wisdom. “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices” (Proverbs 1:29-31 ESV).

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As I’ve been reflecting on makes changes in my own life, here are some things I’ve been thinking about:

Sometimes I feel like I don’t have choices. But I do. I have a choice of what my attitude is when I respond to situations. I have a choice of how to spend my time, even when I’m at work. I have a choice in how I take care of myself. I have choice about my schedule. When I’m overbooked, those are choices I need to deal with because I made them and committed to doing certain things.

Not every choice is black and white. There may be options I’m not seeing right now.

What do I have the power and authority to change?

How will my choices impact others? 

What are the short-term and long-term effects of my choices?

Can I change something about a choice I made?

And I’m not even going to talk about dealing with the consequences of my choices. . . because that’s a whole other topic for another day.