TWO CHOICES EVERYONE MAKES
Psalms 1:1-2
If
one is to be a man or woman of God, it is essential that to face the impossible
situations of life with faith. Our faith will show itself through one of two
fundamental directions in our lives – the choices we make! The two choices
everyone makes are nowhere better summarized than in Psalm 1. In spite of all appearances
to the contrary, in spite of the wooing’s of the multi-faceted world around us,
in spite of the seemingly endless variety of struggles we endure, in spite of
the many faces of evil – we should not be deceived – there are only two
choices.
Crucial to this Psalm is the word blessed.
There are two Hebrew meanings for the phrase “to bless.” One is the word used by “a greater” to “a lesser.” Examples include a father to a son, a king to
a subject, God to a person. It means to confer
abundances or effectiveness
on someone or something. The Old
Testament sees God as the true source of this blessing, abundance, or
effectiveness in life. The second use of
the word “blessed” is not used by God. This is the word used by man. Where our first word speaks of divine favor
from a greater to a lesser, this second word speaks of one’s accomplishment,
achievements, or congratulations. For our second word to be used, man has to “do
something.” One could say, “Blessed are
the Miami Heat - the NBA champions!”
When we say the latter, we are not speaking of divine favor conferred –
although some may think that’s how they won. We are saying “accomplishment”
which goes to “achievement” which goes to “congratulations” and congratulations
go to “winners”. They did things that
were right, they made choices on the court that caused them to accomplish the
championship win.
The second word is the word used in
Psalm 1. This Psalm describes the “blessed man.” This man makes a variety of choices. He makes choices about people; he makes
choices about his path; and he makes choices about priorities. He or she must make some specific choices for
their life. The question becomes does it really matter? Does it make any
difference if you just “do your own thing?” Does it really make any
difference? Choices like – not to be in
the flow, perspective, advice, or viewpoint of the wicked.
The
blessed person does NOT traffic in the perspectives of evil. The word walk talks about everyday life where
you have a choice to make about which way to go. The blessed person makes a choice to NOT look
at life, listen to life, or think of life from the viewpoint of the ungodly.
A second choice for a blessed life
or life of accomplishment is to NOT stand in the path of the sinners. These sinners are people who don’t
acknowledge God and people who blatantly break God’s design. People who stand
in the path of sinners are those who move from “being in the flow of” to
“taking the position with,” to “identifying clearly with those who violate
God’s design.” A life of accomplishment or achievement makes a choice about who
to identify with. The reason we don’t
fill our heads with viewpoints of the ungodly is so we don’t find ourselves
deceived and begin identify with them! Choices make a difference!
A third choice for life is to NOT
sit in the seat of the scoffers. To sit
with scoffers implies taking a position of teaching, guiding, leading or
instructing another contrary to God’s design. A scoffer is someone who looks
down on God’s wisdom. Lives that make
contributions, lives that accomplish, do not mock God’s wisdom. Deterioration comes when certain things are
rejected and other things are accepted; when choices are made and courses are
followed. There is a basic choice that
is ALWAYS made when there is a blessed life and it departs from evil.
Finally, a blessed life makes
choices, ask questions, listens to the words of the songs, and doesn’t let the
content of the movie or TV show slide by; but pays attention to what the crowd
says and thinks about life. A blessed
person makes a choice NOT to go away from God.
A blessed person delights in the law of the Lord, and in His law he
meditates day and night. Now meditation
does NOT mean distancing one’s self from people, or going into some trance of
semi-consciousness. Meditation is to reading what digestion is to eating. You take it in and it becomes a part of
you. You do it day and night. This
figure of speech doesn’t mean unbroken activity. It means “at all times and in all
circumstances” God’s truth is being chewed on, thought about, and applied to
the issues of life.
I
don’t let life “just happen.” I make choices! And you can’t choose God’s wisdom
if you don’t know God’s way! A blessed
life, a life of accomplishment and achievement says we must make choices. There are two choices that are made over and
over by the person who is blessed. One path is despised, rejected, and
refused. One path is a delight, joy, and
the focus of affection. Psalm 1 calls us
to partake of God, enjoy God, and find a productive worthwhile life because we
have made a choice for Him and His way.
The foolish believe that they can go wherever they like and do whatever
they want and it does not make a difference.
The wise know that choices do make the difference!
