Choosing Wisely

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

“Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.

Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard.

Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.

Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.

Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick Wisely.”

I appreciate the effort of this wannabe philosopher who came up with this little capsule of truth. I can’t acknowledge the author because I don’t know who wrote it, but we could all add a few lines to the meme. We can add our own “hard” to create a new line or two.

We seldom get to choose our hard; they come to us. Ann Hodges simply wanted a nap, but instead she gained notoriety as the only person documented as being struck by a meteorite. Little did she know that when she lay down on her couch over Sylacauga, Alabama, on November 30, 1954, a meteorite was falling through the sky.

The fragment crashed through her roof, leaving a three-foot hole, bounced off the family’s radio, and hit Mrs. Hodges. The meteorite fragment left a bruise on her upper thigh and caused years of emotional trauma. The piece is now on display in an exhibit at the Alabama Museum of Natural History and is known as the Hodges Fragment. Just for some random information, scientists estimate that more than 50,000 meteorites have hit Earth; you just never know.

 I don’t think you need to put getting hit by a meteorite in your hard category, since you have only a 1 in several million chance of being hit. However, you will face hard. So how do you choose which hard? What do you do when the hard times come? Life is always about choices, what we will do, what we will not do, and it all depends upon you.

You can handle the “hard” on your own. You choose your response by copying what others do, what you think you should do, or how you’ve always dealt with “hard” choices. What we find when we do it ourselves is that it doesn’t always work.

 Jesus knew a few things about making wise decisions when faced with difficult choices. He told his disciples and now shares this truth with us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Choosing wisely requires a dependable source. Trust God. He will guide. In Proverbs, we are reminded to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (3:5-6)

Choosing wisely requires more than we possess. Ask God for wisdom. James reminds us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (1:5)

Choosing wisely requires knowing whom you will serve. Joshua reminds us that when faced with a choice of whom to serve, he knows exactly whom to serve. “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

Choosing wisely requires knowing we are not alone. David reminds us that “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing…He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23: 1,3-4)

We will face competing choices on which “hard” to make. When we face difficult choices about which “hard” to choose, it is good to know we have a God who listens and cares for us. God is more than willing to help us navigate the options to choose the best outcome. Howard Thurman’s wise saying from Meditations of the Heart beautifully expresses our dependence upon God.

Open unto me—light for my darkness.

Open unto me—courage for my fear.

Open unto me—hope for my despair.

Open unto me—peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me—joy for my sorrow.

Open unto me—strength for my weakness.

Open unto me—wisdom for my confusion.

Open unto me—forgiveness for my sins.

Open unto me—love for my hates.

Open unto me—thyself for myself.

Lord—Lord, open unto me!

Amen. (Meditations of the Heart: LORD, Open Unto Me)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

God is great!

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.