Lawrence Kelley.]

Whenever we pass judgement on an issue which is under consideration, we have made a decision. Have you ever thought about how many decisions you and I make every day? I have, and it’s mind boggling. For instance, you realize that the cupboard is bare and a trip to the grocery store is inevitable. Already you’ve made a decision, and this is only the beginning of a flood of decisions that will be made on this occasion. You must then decide what groceries you need, what clothes you will wear, what car to drive, what store to shop at, what route to take, where to park… and so on. All those decisions just about grocery shopping. If you’ll notice, each decision was made with the previous one being taken into consideration.

This business of decision making is a pretty serious matter, regardless of the issue under consideration. Imagine now the serious nature of the decisions we make concerning our spirituality. If we do not make hasty judgements in regard to grocery shopping, shouldn’t we do the same with regard to spiritual matters? I believe God’s word answers this question in the affirmative.

Please consider the story of Lot recorded in . The scriptures tell us that because of the great amount of livestock that both Abram and Lot owned, “the land was not able to support them.” This problem was causing strife between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Abram makes a “decision” in the matter and a very wise one at that. Abram suggests a separation in order to put an end to all the bickering. Only one decision remains, who will go where? Abram leaves the decision up to Lot. “If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

After we conclude the reading, we see the evidence of a hasty decision. If only Lot had remembered Eve! One of the reasons she ate of the forbidden fruit was because it was pleasing to the eye. “And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere.” He made his decision based on looks alone, and what a tragedy! Within a period of time, we read in that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed because of their deliberate unrighteousness. Lot lost what he had, because of a hastily made decision.

Through this tragedy we learn the great lesson of how important it is to make the right decision. What is it that prompts us to make the decisions that we make from day to day? Unless our answer is God’s word, then it is time to stop and take stock of our situation. God’s word was given by inspiration, and is profitable. We see clearly the fact that God’s word should be the guide to all of our decisions. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord” ().

We should be intent on studying the word of God, and learning from the decisions that others have made. Their decisions, whether good or bad, will make ours much easier. This was one of the reasons that these acts of the men and women of old are recorded for us. “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.” ().

Do we make the decision to attend services for fear of rebuke from the brethren, or to please mom and dad? Or do we do it in the light of God’s word, realizing that it is God’s will, and that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. May I suggest we do it not only because we have to, but because we want to. Fathers, “bring them (your children) up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (). Do we do these things because we have to or because we want to? The decision is yours, just make the right one.

As we go about from day to day, let’s turn to God for help in making our decisions. Whether big or small, we’ll know for sure that we have made the right ones.