DECISIONS OR CHOICES
Many choices in life don’t seem significant At the time they, But those choices set in motion a series of events which shape our lives, our children and our grandchildren.
Sometimes people make unwise choices which aren’t momentous in themselves, but they lead to tragedies:
A teenager chooses to ride with a friend who has been drinking, resulting in a serious accident and the loss of life. A girl decides to have a drink at a party, resulting in her letting down her inhibitions. She ends up pregnant or with a venereal disease. Since seemingly small decisions can have such momentous consequences, how can we protect ourselves from making wrong choices?
The story of Lot’s choice (Gen. 13:5-18) teaches a crucial lesson about life’s choices:
-Since choices often result in eternally significant consequences, we must choose in line with God’s principles.
Basic principles on making choices
- MAKE CHOICES WHICH VALUE RELATIONSHIPS OVER RIGHTS.
Note verse 8: “Please let there be no strife between you and me, … because we are brothers
.” Coming just after the statement about the Canaanites and Perizzites being in the land, this may point to Abram’s concern about how their strife would affect the witness to the pagans around them. How can God’s people bear witness for Him if the world sees them fighting among themselves?
Abram had a right to choose whatever land he wanted and let Lot take the leftovers. He was the older, the chief of the clan. God had promised the land to Abram, not to Lot. (Note, by the way, that even though Abram and Lot both had the freedom to choose, God’s sovereign purpose to give the land to Abram overruled their choices.)
But Abram graciously yielded his rights and trusted God to give him his portion. What mattered to Abram was, “We are brothers.” He valued his relationship with Lot over his right to choose the best land.
So much strife could be avoided in the family and in the
church if we would put a premium on our relationships
, set aside our rights, and let the Lord take care of us.
