Decision Making

We are all prone to think of our “neighbor” in the comfortable circle of those whom we already love. It is easy to define neighbor to include our close friends at church, the next-door neighbor who watches over our house when we are away, the coworker who shares our viewpoints, and the people with whom we enjoy socializing. But what about the family on the other side of the street with the barking dog? What about the coworker who is continually gossiping about other coworkers? What about the one person who always seems to ask the wrong question at the wrong time? What about people from a different cultural background than ours? Are these our “neighbors” too?

According to God’s Word, “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly” with our God by faith is at the heart of true religion in both the Old and New Testaments. In our own day, there is an abundance of every sort of religion. But God is still looking for men whose religion springs from a faithful heart and is expressed by obedient hands. God is looking for men who will do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. Will you be such a man?

As a young man, he had been a drunkard, a gambler, a fighter, and a man known for violent outbursts of temper. But all that had changed before the war when the Lord Jesus had transformed Alvin. He was now a man of meekness, a humble Christian who cared for his mother, farmed his land, and looked forward to marrying his fiancée, Gracie, if he ever got home again to the mountains of Tennessee. When he was drafted upon the entry of the United States into the First World War, he had written simply on his draft card: “I do not want to fight.”

An example of a man who started wisely in life but took a tragic detour into the path of pleasure and vanity is King Solomon. Thankfully, he repented of his sins before his life was over and recorded his experiences so that future generations might learn from them. His success and failure in life rose and fell in direct proportion to how well he honored the instruction given to him by his father and mother.

If ever a child was born who had the right to claim superiority to His parents, it was Jesus. He was the perfect Son of God, and yet He was placed into the home of a carpenter and his wife. In this human family, we find that Perfection submitted to imperfection, and the Son of God became the Son of Man.

Long before he was the father of his country, George Washington was a son. Men who learn to command must first learn to obey, and men in positions of authority earn their trust by serving faithfully under authority. Throughout his life of service, George Washington was a man who understood and respected authority.

Understanding how to honor the role God has given parents, church leaders, government and other authorities, and learning how to respond when those above me violate God’s will

Isaac is probably the least known of the Old Testament patriarchs. But on three important occasions during his life, Isaac demonstrated remarkable honor to his father and mother. His life provides a good example of the blessing of the “long life, and peace” that is promised to the honorable son.

Our attitude toward our parents is closely linked with our attitude toward God. According to Leviticus 19:32, a connection is suggested between honoring elders and fearing God. This special relationship between parent and child is one that God has ordained. For this reason, our attitude toward our parents, whether or not they would be considered aged, is closely related to our attitude toward God Who gave our parents to us.

There are some Christians who by their upbringing are led into the fear of the Lord, even before they come to faith. This is a very great blessing: parents can give a child no greater blessing than to bring him up in the fear of the Lord. When those who are thus brought up are brought to faith, they have a great advantage: they are, as it were, prepared to walk in the joy of the Lord.

Because the centurion was under the authority of the emperor, he had the emperor’s authority over those under him. The centurion realized that God’s Kingdom was also structured with a chain of command—the man realized that because Jesus was under God’s authority, He had God’s authority over the spiritual realm.

There are times in life that we are called upon to lay aside our own natural reasoning and to act instead upon the command of the Lord. Such a time came for a common laborer in an obscure rural village two thousand years ago.

While we are all to be under the authorities which God has ordained for the purpose of our protection and guidance, we will also likely, at some point, be the one in authority over others. What does God expect of those in leadership roles?

Flexibility is an important and necessary character quality, yet the word flexibility is not used in the Bible. Thus, a search for the concept of flexibility must be carried out. One must understand that being flexible will usually involve change and that change will often result in tension.

It is vital to develop attentiveness, because many other character qualities are dependent on it. Without attentiveness, we will not even hear the commands of Scripture or the instructions of parents or authorities.

Decisiveness is choosing to do what is right based on accurate facts, wise counsel, and clearly defined goals. Wise decision making must be based on God’s will, not on our own carnal desires, because “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12)

Discernment is the ability to distinguish between good and evil, in order to make wise decisions. When God told Solomon to ask for anything he wanted, Solomon asked for discernment.

Your name represents you, your life, and who you are. It speaks of the work you do and how you do it. Your name embodies your reputation. Having a good name requires honorable motives and priorities. It also involves living with a clear conscience by taking responsibility for your actions and making restitution when you have offended someone or done something wrong.

Crying out to God is an act of desperation and total concentration. It is a fervent expression of faith in God and trust in His goodness and power to act on your behalf.

Understanding different levels of friendship can be very helpful in our interactions with others. Every friendship we have involves specific freedoms and responsibilities, depending on the closeness of the relationship. Friendships are important because of the tremendous influence they hold over our lives.