Making Good Decisions

    This is the story of a rich man who was making more than he could handle. His barns were full and his land was increasing and he had a decision to make: what to do with the excess. That he was doing so well is an indication that he was a tithing man, giving God ten percent of his income and that he was reaping well because he was a good Jew and keeping the law and sowing good seed. Yet for all of that instead of being generous to the poor and less fortunate, he decides to build bigger barns and eat, drink, and be merry (Epicureanism). The decision he made was in keeping with the culture, tradition, values, and beliefs of his Jewish heritage and would have been esteemed by his peers. Jesus, however, says that this night his soul would be required of him and he would not enjoy the fruit of his labor. Jesus goes on to say that we should take no thought for our lives, what we should eat and what we should wear, and that we should consider the ravens and the lilies that do not sow or reap or spin yet God provides for them. Something all of us have heard but few do.

   Making good decisions means being able to hear from God. It also means being free from attachments, wealth, power, success, popularity, approval, people, places, and things so that one is free: free from the influence of things that hinder us from making the right decisions. The man in this parable was a good Jew, following the religious pattern of his day, and yet Jesus very clearly indicates he made the wrong decision even though in his heart he thought he made the right one.

   So much of Jesus ministry was about giving people insight into themselves in order to have the opportunity to make the right decision. For the outright sinner, the fornicator, tax collector, and thief, seeing meant repentance and true contrition. For the Pharisee and the scribe seeing meant jealousy, hatred, and anger and the crucifixion of our Lord. In either case, what Jesus did was give them the ability to see and to make a decision based on sight not on blindness and ignorance.

   The condemnation of many will come because people will choose darkness to light because their deeds are evil and will not repent and choose a different way. They will say the old wine is better. I have no need for the new. They will have seen the truth but preferred the lie because it was easier to stay stuck than to give up the old man and embrace the new. The condemnation will come because they would rather avoid the truth and stay in the darkness than come to the light.

   In order to make good decisions one must spend time with birds and trees and wind and air. One must stop the need to hoard and grab and obtain and slow down and simplify ones life. Merely reading scripture and praying will not bring sight if one does not get off the merry-go-round of greed and the pursuit of worldly things. The man in this story made all the correct decisions based on his culture and value system yet his decision was not a good one from the point of view of eternity, from the point of view of God. So if today you hear his voice harden not your heart and begin to pursue the kingdom rather than the lust of other things for what will it prosper you if you gain the world and lose your soul? Begin today. Begin now.