What is a crossroad?
The Oxford Languages Dictionary offers this definition: "a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences." I suppose most of us have encountered such a place of crucial decision-making several times in our lives. Go to college, a trade school or maybe just graduate from high school? What job or career direction to take? To marry or not? Who to marry? Where to live? To rent or buy a house? To have children? To vote or choose a political party? To make friends or join a community? To believe in God? To love? And many more.
Making right decisions
We all have heard or read countless formulas about how to make the right decisions.. Identify pros and cons. Talk to friends. Plan around your goals and future. Let money be your guide. Put yourself first. Listen to a leader. Do what feels right. Pray. However we go about it, the truth is we will likely make the wrong decision about half the time! I know I have for much of my life!
I've been good at making excuses when my choices turn out wrong. Even blaming circumstances or other people. The truth is I am the only one to blame when I make wrong decisions. I suppose this sounds a little harsh, but it is true. Wasn't it Harry Truman that said, "The buck stops here"? As fragile as my self-esteem is, my ego, the only real way out is taking responsibility for my failures. In fact, I think the old football coach was right when he said, "No pain, no gain"!
The signs of the times
It is likely that most of our decision making is affected by surrounding circumstances. Driving or walking, when we come to a crossroad in real life we are usually careful to look both ways for on coming traffic. Mother said this was how we were to cross the road!. This is actually a sound practice for life decision-making. As I think most will agree, our circumstances of life are often caused or influenced by the society or community in which we live. In these we find the "signs of the times"!
At this time in history, religion, government and politics seem to be bringing new signs of the times every day. The question becomes how do we assimilate all the traffic to make it safely through the crossroad? The answers probably are unique to each of us, but here is some common direction from an old crossing guard.
Choosing the right direction
My worldview is based on Christianity, and it is Christ centered. Following Him, trying to make decisions the way He would, has been a 40-year endeavor for me. I still make mistakes (some call it sin!) everyday. Because most of us are sense ruled, what we hear, see, touch, taste and smell sometimes trumps what we should do logically, emotionally or spiritually.So, what to do?
It often is that the signs of the times show us life choices for which we are responsible. So it is today with our decision-making. In this nation, now, we are witnessing an escalation of lawlessness and evil I don't think any of us thought possible. Leaders in government, business and even the church are planning and implementing actions that have little respect or love for others. David Brooks, New York Times Columnist and author, said in one of his books about how to know a person, "The essence of evil is the tendency to denigrate another person." Look around! What is happening right now? Where does this leave any of us? Do we have a choice?
Eternally speaking, this may be the last time many of us will have the opportunity to choose the right direction. Do we conform, knowingly or unknowingly, to the evil around us and follow it to its end, physical and spiritual death, or do we follow the example God has given us in Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. If you search the scriptures, you will find some that tell us that God has set before us both both life and death. Could this be the time of our final choice of the way we go for all eternity, our final crossroad? God's final word is choose life!
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