Power of Choice

Would you agree that one of our most valuable opportunities as human beings is the power to choose? We might not think about it that much, because only when we’re faced with situations where we feel we have no choice do we recognize it.

An enslaved person or a prisoner doesn’t have a choice.

A child growing up in a household where abuse is present is limited to choose to behave in a way that doesn’t upset the abuser?

In cases like these we feel sorry for the victims and their lack of choices.

What about situations where we have every opportunity to make whatever choice we want?

When the laws and norms of our land prohibit or at least disfavor some ways we could express ourselves, we don’t like it. If our freedom is limited by religious rules or even God himself, we tend to rebel against these boundaries. After all, why should anyone, even God, tell us we can’t do what feels good to us.

Precisely at this juncture the power of our choice becomes visible. Even though our Creator has given us laws, parameters within which to live, he lets us make our choices. Like parents watching their child chose a toxic relationship they have pleaded with them not to enter, God is watching us disobey his laws and directions. At the end, He is still there, His unconditional love for us undiminished.

We rather suffer the consequences of disobedience than have our choices curbed.

But there are areas of our life, where it doesn’t seem so hard for us to follow rules. That’s because we recognize life without them would be unlivable chaos.

Imagine no traffic rules or sports without rules. We are instinctively aware that orderly, safe travel or a football game would be nearly impossible without them.

Why do we seem to accept the calls by an umpire based on the rules of the game without complaint, but not the direction of our loving, caring Creator? Instead we complain how he kills all fun with his “outdated” instructions, limiting our freedom.

If we don’t accept that our maker is also our lawgiver, it’s easy to reject his directions.

But we endanger ourselves when we reject to live by his instructions.

It makes good sense to choose our Makers ways! His laws are summed up best in the words of Jesus: “Love God with all you’ve got and love your neighbor as yourself!” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Maybe rather than seeing God’s laws as confining, we should see them as boundaries within which we can enjoy life to the fullest! After all, Father God knows best!