Reflections: Christian Choices

The freedom of choice is a gift

One of the greatest gifts that humankind has been given is that of being able to make choices. It may also be one of the gifts that has been abused more than any other gift, throughout the course of history.

All of the choices that are possible in the entire world are in the hands of human beings. That would appear to be a large responsibility for mankind, would it not?

Having the freedom of choice gives one the freedom to choose good versus evil, right versus wrong, knowledge versus no knowledge and truth versus untruth. Having the freedom to choose allows us to make right choices, but it can result in wrong choices, because as human beings, we may not always make perfect choices in life.

The choices of true Christians will invariably be based upon the love of God and humankind as the determining factor or the criterion upon which the choices are founded.

Humankind, having been given the right to makes choices, knows and comprehends, at least to some extent, the meaning of freedom. Had humankind not been given the right to make choices, no one would be free.

Whether or not we stand or fall in life, depends a great deal on the choices that we choose to make. God has given us the option of choosing to worship Him or mammon, which is money. When we choose God, our lives are invariably blessed, in many ways. If we choose money, we may accumulate wealth or what may appear to be a blessing, but in the end, it will lead to a fall.

According to the Bible, choices began with God and man in the Garden of Eden. This resulted in the fall of man. So, the option of choices is not something new or different, in our age. Imagine the total number of choices that people have made since that time.

Reflecting on the possibility of choices, throughout the course of history, one sees that any almost any man, woman or child can make choices.

Adam and Eve took the risk of making a choice and humankind has suffered the consequences. But, on the more positive side, that in turn, allowed an open door for the introduction of forgiveness into the world, through the message of Jesus Christ.

To choose, in some ways, always means a degree of risk taking with possible consequences. If we choose rightly, we win and if we do not choose rightly, we lose in the end.

Making choices is circumstantial, to a large extent. How we make our choices in life depends a lot on what circumstances we find ourselves in, at that time.

Sometimes the choices that we make are learned. To a great extent, we choose as our parents or forefathers would have chosen. Sometimes, it appears that the previous generations have made much better decisions than we can ever make; but then sometimes, ours are better, as we have learned from them, at least to some degree.

We can make an active choice to make choices or not to make choices. We can also choose to ignore our right to make choices.

Choices can be based upon our thoughts, feelings, emotions, beliefs, perception, education, training, ability and age. Age may affect our judgment and thus, our ability to make choices as well, but not always. Sometimes the elderly are able to make far better choices than the younger generations.

No one knows everything about choices. We do know that we choose partly because we know that we can choose and should do so. After that, we live with the results of our choices.

In some ways, choices offer us an obligation, a right or a duty. A choice can be an honor bestowed on us, a judgment call or an opportunity to respond to something.

As human beings, we may feel that we are obligated to make right choices or we will always have a guilty conscience or a monkey on our back, so to speak.

There are larger issues at stake in our era, particularly those that present global concerns like world hunger and environmental issues.

In making any choices, one always needs to ask this question. Does the freedom of choice that we have as a gift from God, allow us the right to intentionally choose to do something that is wrong or evil? To this one must say no.

This is why true Christians will always try to make godly choices, if at all possible. The freedom of choice is a gift, but not one that should be abused in any way.