The harder decisions

There are some decisions that are biblically easy: adultery. I don’t say emotionally easy, but biblically a no-brainer.

But we all have experienced other decisions that are difficult. Not difficult (in this case) because our desires tug us away from God’s commands, but difficult because even though we desire with all our hearts to do God’s will, we are not 100 percent sure of what His will is. In fact, we are poised 50/50 between two seemingly reasonable paths.

In these situations, we even have been diligent to search the Word for direction, and we have come up with biblical principles to be adduced in favor of both courses. We have sought out the godliest counselors we know, but the answer still is not a slam dunk.

Do not think, by the way, the top five major decisions of your life. These decisions I speak of may be small daily conundrums. Judy’s adult son has sinned against her and has told her, “You are dead to me.” Months later he phones in a calmer spirit and invites her out to lunch. When they meet he is sweet and the talk is light and like old times. He wants to make up, and this is his way. Judy wonders whether she should gently confront or rebuke him, or whether she should quietly forgive him and not bring up the offense.

There are arguments—biblical arguments—to be made for both courses of action, the gentle rebuke and the quiet forgiving of debts.

In the “rebuke” column, Judy remembers scriptural exhortations to bring an offense to the attention to the offender. Is this not the biblical way (Matthew 18:15)? Is this not for his own soul’s good (James 5:20)? Do you not sin against the offender by abetting his self-deception? And by letting him think a false peace is true reconciliation?

In the “do not mention” column Judy is thinking that love can reach a conscience as readily as confrontation, and heap coals on the head that issue in repentance. She is thinking about how Jesus was meek and silent and entrusted Himself to the one who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). Furthermore, she is not forswearing, but just delaying, her exhortative obligation. She will challenge her son to repentance at some point, but not tonight. Tonight they need one meeting to be comfortable mother and son again. There is a question of discernment and timing here (Colossians 1:9), of proper times and places.

Judy pondered these things when she left the house to meet her son. She also prayed. And having done all, she remained uncertain at the restaurant. There is no inner knowing, there is no great flash of light, there is no turn in the conversation that provides a sudden segue onto one path or the other.

I leave it to the reader to guess what she did in the end.

But that is not the subject of today’s meditation. I am considering here how much of life is a wrestling with a less than 100 percent certainty, and I am wondering at this lot God has assigned to man. Can it be that when, in the difficult matters, we have perused His Word and sought His face in prayer, it is well to simply do the best we can and put our faith again in Him who looks upon the heart and honors the small grain of faith behind the choice?

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