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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
“This day I have called heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life. . .” Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)
As individuals, we make choices every day of our lives, starting from when the alarm rings each morning to when we retire for the night.
We had an elderly relative who was a very early riser. She called me once and asked me to meet her the next day at the building where her doctor was located and go with her to her doctor appointment. The hospital’s patient van would transport her from her apartment building at the other end of town to the medical building. I would meet her there, coming from the opposite end of town.
As I walked with her into the building the next morning, she immediately apologized for me having to get up early when I didn’t have too. I tried to put her mind to rest by saying, “My alarm goes off at 6:00 then I decide if I want to get up.”
Choices sometimes are difficult. A friend of mine has to make a decision-aka difficult choice-about having surgery. She has had two bad experiences with complications from surgery or medical procedures. Another friend lost her husband this week. He had gone through a major surgery with a complication and a follow-up surgery. The choice they made for the surgery was to try to improve his quality of life.
How we react to others results from a choice. Jesus tells us what comes out of our mouth is the overflow of our heart. (Luke 6:45) It is very easy to respond to someone’s hurtful words with quick jabbing phrases. We must examine our hearts before we reply. Our choice can cause either hurt or healing.
Our choice of styles of dress tells a lot about whom we are and what we believe about ourselves. Some of us prefer to dress modestly and adopt the casual or dress-casual style. We, as a society, might want to take a look at the way we allow our young children to attire themselves as they get an education. Several years ago, our local public school system adopted a school uniform dress code. In our town we have a charter school that also has a school uniform policy. The public school students have the choice of three colors of pants (slacks for the girls) with tops in several choices of colors. The girls also have the option of jumpers or skirts in one of the same three colors.
One aspect of this uniform code is the uniform has no insignia or name on the clothing. (My stepmother once said people pay for the celebrity’s name on whatever bears a tie to them.)
A pair of uniform slacks and a shirt can be purchased for as low as $20 and change*. Parents noticed the lower price of the uniform clothing right away.
Why do we, as a society, dress our children in such a way that makes them begin to be like those whose clothes they choose to wear? We seem to make a choice for them, possibly without realizing it.
We have options that we tend to pass on to others about diet and exercise. If we happen to be overweight, we can choose to watch what we eat but it is difficult. What makes it so is the way we might look at the process. A friend of mine has told me her doctor tells her that a diet has a beginning and end. The doctor tells her to look at it as an eating plan.
We need to explain to the younger generations that choices made when we are young carry consequences, some being life-long. Some of us know the idea of “if it feels good, do it” has caused issues never thought about by most of the participants.
We make decisions every day that affect not only ourselves but those around us and those who come after us. The effects of our bad choices can cause our lives to change drastically. Our bad choices become bad habits which can lead to health issues.
It has been said that we are what we eat. Could we also say we become what we choose? When we choose to ask Jesus into our hearts, we surrender ourselves to follow Him, we learn to abide by His guidance and live for Him. Our decision causes us to yield our lives to His will.
“Choose this day whom you will serve. . . . But for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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