Making Better Choices
By Greg Johnson
May 16, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Last Friday, I went with my wife Becky to the fresh fruit and vegetable market that we like to shop at occasionally. The task assigned to me was to pick out seven apples. It took me as much time to pick out seven apples as it did Becky to get the rest of our stuff. It was quite a task for me as I sorted through the vast selection and tried to make good choices. I set aside the ones that were bruised, too big or too small to pick the best seven apples I could find. There I was sorting through apples and making choices between one and another. I finished up just in time to meet Becky heading toward the checkout station. I completed my assigned task. I felt I had taken the time to make better choices. Becky should be very proud of me! Don’t you think?
I’ve been pondering my apple assignment and how it relates to everything that we do. Every day we are faced with choices to make. Some decisions have little impact on us, but others are decisions that will impact our life and the lives of others. I am convinced that with these type of decisions we make better choices when we rely on the Word, on Jesus and on the Holy Spirit in our decision making process.
Let’s look at some verses in Proverbs chapter 16 and glean how to make better choices.
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BETTER THAN UNJUST GAIN
(Proverbs 16:8 NIV) "Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice." We have no righteousness outside of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our righteousness. God justifies or declares us righteous in Christ Jesus. A better choice is always to pursue more of Jesus in our life. That is how we put on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).
WISDOM IS BETTER THAN WEALTH
(Proverbs 16:16 NIV) "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!" Be full of wisdom and follow Jesus Christ. As we follow Jesus, He continually imparts the Holy Spirit to us that enables us to do good. With the Holy Spirit comes the gift of Wisdom. The Holy Spirit will supernaturally give the individual a message of wisdom. This message of wisdom applies the revelation of God’s Word to a specific situation or problem. This is not the same as having wisdom for daily living. Wisdom for daily living comes from diligent study of God’s Word and prayer (James 1:5-6).
HUMILITY IS BETTER THAN PRIDE
(Proverbs 16:19 NIV) "Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." The Word of God continually shows us that pride always leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Read about King Saul in the book of 1 Samuel and see Saul destroyed because of pride. Humility is the opposite of pride and is always the best choice. King David walked in humility as he was a man after God’s own heart. May we be like David and not like Saul. As we deny our self, take up our cross and follow Jesus, we practice humility. One of our Core Values at Loving God Fellowship is “practicing humility” (you can read all of our core values at http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org and clicking on “About LGF). We must constantly be on guard against pride and always choose to walk in humility.
SELF-CONTROL IS BETTER THAN POWER
(Proverbs 16:32 NIV) "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." Self-control comes as we follow Jesus and allow Him to continually impart the Holy Spirit in us. Obedience to His word and His Spirit enables us to live self-controlled lives. Self-control is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that indwells the follower of Christ. (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. {24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." We can live self-controlled lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to enable and empower us.
Beloved, God has given us all the tools that we need to make the right choices. God has given us His Word, He has given us Jesus to follow and He has imparted to us the Holy Spirit. As we diligently study and meditate on His Word, as we continually follow Jesus and as the Holy Spirit progressively sanctifies us, we will make the right choices. Stay in the Word, follow Jesus and be full of the Holy Spirit! You will make the right choices!
