Right Choices / Better Outcomes
#1 Why Did I Make That Decision? January 4, 2013
The question, “Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions?” has been asked hundreds of time in the last few days. Most of us have given up on making resolutions because we have not kept those made in the past. But I am sure that if you take a look at your life you will be able to point to times when you made some good decisions that resulted in long-lasting, and sometimes life-altering changes to your life.
Take a minute, or maybe several, to think about why those were the right decisions. They were probably made based on some standards you have set for yourself. Another definition of ‘standards’ would be ‘values’. If we list our values, and keep them in the forefront of our thinking, the decisions we make each day will be easier, and will result in more favourable outcomes.
Let’s take a look at two women in scripture who were often part of the daily life of Christ. They were sisters, and each was eager to please the Lord.
While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42(HCSB)
There are character traits that I admire in both of these women. Martha seemed to be the perfect, high energy hostess. Her home was probably always neat and tidy, and I’m sure she always had her pantry stocked so that she could entertain at a moment’s notice. I picture Mary as the woman who daily, without fail, began her day in quiet contemplation with God. She never looked at her to do list until she had her quiet time with the Lord. She knew that if she did, her mind would get busy thinking about all she wanted to accomplish. She would move on to those things before having her heart and mind ready to face the challenges of the day.
Mary and Martha each had their own priorities, and they each made their decisions based on those. Now Martha’s desire to have a clean home, to serve others, and to provide good food is not wrong. It is the priority she placed on them that was askew.
Jesus saw into the hearts of each of the women. He could see their motives and was able to say that Mary had made the “right choice.”
What does Jesus see when He looks into my heart, and looks deeply at my motives? Am I living by values that line up with His Word? Is He able to say to me each day “Debi, you made the right choice today”?
What are the values that helped you make the right choices in the past? Determine in your heart to sit down and list four or five life values you want to determine to live by in the next year. I promise you, when you do this, your daily choices will be easier, more consistent, and, if made in light of scripture and with prayer they will be Right Choices with Better Outcomes.
If you have read my postings in the past you are now very familiar with the key verse. Discerning Hearts Ministry is all about finding what really matters, what is most important.
Take a minute, or maybe several, to think about why those were the right decisions. They were probably made based on some standards you have set for yourself. Another definition of ‘standards’ would be ‘values’. If we list our values, and keep them in the forefront of our thinking, the decisions we make each day will be easier, and will result in more favourable outcomes.
Let’s take a look at two women in scripture who were often part of the daily life of Christ. They were sisters, and each was eager to please the Lord.
While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42(HCSB)
There are character traits that I admire in both of these women. Martha seemed to be the perfect, high energy hostess. Her home was probably always neat and tidy, and I’m sure she always had her pantry stocked so that she could entertain at a moment’s notice. I picture Mary as the woman who daily, without fail, began her day in quiet contemplation with God. She never looked at her to do list until she had her quiet time with the Lord. She knew that if she did, her mind would get busy thinking about all she wanted to accomplish. She would move on to those things before having her heart and mind ready to face the challenges of the day.
Mary and Martha each had their own priorities, and they each made their decisions based on those. Now Martha’s desire to have a clean home, to serve others, and to provide good food is not wrong. It is the priority she placed on them that was askew.
Jesus saw into the hearts of each of the women. He could see their motives and was able to say that Mary had made the “right choice.”
What does Jesus see when He looks into my heart, and looks deeply at my motives? Am I living by values that line up with His Word? Is He able to say to me each day “Debi, you made the right choice today”?
What are the values that helped you make the right choices in the past? Determine in your heart to sit down and list four or five life values you want to determine to live by in the next year. I promise you, when you do this, your daily choices will be easier, more consistent, and, if made in light of scripture and with prayer they will be Right Choices with Better Outcomes.
If you have read my postings in the past you are now very familiar with the key verse. Discerning Hearts Ministry is all about finding what really matters, what is most important.
And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,
so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 (HCSB 2004)
so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 (HCSB 2004)