In Which Direction Will YOU Go?

As a child, hearing the story of the great and good Hezekiah and his wicked father and son, Ahaz and Manasseh, read at morning worship, I used to wonder just what it was that made one king do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and another do that which was right. I cannot answer that question now; and if I should live for a thousand years, I would not be able to answer it. Only God knows the secrets of the human heart.

We cannot tell why one turns in the right direction and another in the wrong direction. But there is no doubt that they do, or that they are responsible for the direction they take. Strange mystery! From the same home, from the same mother's knee, from the same training, one goes out and does that which is right in the sight of the Lord, and another through a long life does that which is evil. -Unknown

Our age tends to blur distinctions and throw everything into a “gray area," but in the Scriptures matters are more clear-cut. In the world there are good people and there are bad people: those who lovingly obey their God and those who stubbornly reject Him (Romans 2:5-10). One could say that two destinies await mankind. But, we can serve only one of two masters. Therefore, our destiny depends on our actions, and our actions show who we serve (Romans 6:16). Now here is the question, "It is worth asking how people get to be the way they are?" Let's explore this further.

Some say that our characters are the accumulation of the decisions we have made. When we are dissatisfied with our present state in life, it is tempting to blame circumstances beyond our control. In other words, we tend to think we would be better off if we had been “dealt a better hand.”

Yet, in all the important ways, we are each the product of decisions that we have made in the freedom of our wills. We have voluntarily thought, spoken, and done the things that have made us what we are. Our characters are built up not from our external circumstances, but from what we have chosen to do with those circumstances. For example, contrast Saul with David (1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 15:28). The kingdom was to be taken away from Saul because of his bad choices. David was better than Saul because he had made better choices, not because he had better circumstances.

We need to accept responsibility for what we have made of ourselves. We are what we have chosen to be. We are self-made persons. Unfortunately, the self-made person is often the product of unskilled labor! As the Bible points out, "We reap what we sow" (Galatians 6:7-8).

Decisions and choices have a cumulative effect; they tend to “snowball.” Even “little” choices are more significant than we might think. Every decision and every act change a person for better or worse; one is never exactly the same after making any choice. Any future choices have to be made by a person who has been shaped by the choices already made. Choices built a habit of life for Daniel (Daniel 6:10). With every one of even the slightest deeds, we are building up a character and a self that will find it progressively easier to act in certain ways and more difficult to act in others. It would be correct to say that:

1) We are building habits by our actions;

2) We are building good habits by our actions;

3) We build bad habits by our actions, some of these will hard be to quit.

Think about it. None of us is standing still. With every choice we are becoming more like God or more like Satan (John 8:44, 47; Ephesians 4:17-19 compare this with- Hebrews 5:14).

What is another way that people get to be the way they are? It is sobering to think that every act counts. God will take every act into account in His judging of our lives. After all, with God, no decision is too small to be insignificant (Matthew 12:36; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5). Like children on the playground, we may have said “That didn’t count” or “I had my fingers crossed," but when God judges our lives, no such excuses will be accepted!

We may think we are merely being careless or haphazard, but the consequences of our choices are eternal and we are responsible for them. Hell will not be the arbitrary punishment of people who engaged in certain acts. It will be the telos (end, goal, outcome) of those acts, the inevitable consequence of actions that we chose (Romans 6:21). My dear friends, always remember that every action has consequences!

God will not “inadvertently” or “mistakenly” consign anyone to eternal punishment. He does not work that way. Only those will be there who demanded to be there by the choices they made. And few of those will be people who set out to be wicked. As Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Sooner or later, we must all sit down to a banquet of consequences.” It is dangerous and detrimental to ever say "no" to God, even once (Hebrews 12:25)!

On the positive side, it is also encouraging to think that every act counts! So, we can never truly say that our lives are helpless and hopeless. In most cases, we can do something that will alter our situation for the better. In spiritual matters, there is really no such thing as a “stalemate.” We need the youthful confidence of David (1 Samuel 17:26). So what can we do? We can make choices that will truly alter the present situation. We can act in the faith that steps in the direction of goodness and truth, however small and seemingly insignificant, do make a difference- (Mark 12:41-44).

You see, God does not require larger steps of righteousness than we can manage, only small steps taken in faith. God is not looking for people who can do everything, but for those who are willing to do what they can! The good news is that heaven will be the outcome if we learn to choose actions that tend in God’s direction (Romans 6:21-23)!

In conclusion, life is serious business. And it pays to live carefully (Ephesians 5:15)! I must admit that I too have made some bad choices in the past! Let us be sobered by the fact that each action reaches into eternity, and take responsibility for the bad choices we have made. Similarly, let us be encouraged knowing that we can make a difference for good even in “small” acts of faith. In all things, let us be grateful for the opportunity to make better choices today (1 Corinthians 15:9-10). Remember, every act counts, even the little ones!

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Prayer:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen
- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"


Have a blessed day!

Julia