The Power of Choices

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

We have been teaching my son about choices lately—the power of choices, the importance of making good choices, and the consequences of making poor choices. 

We too are given choices—the choice to be grateful or to complain, the choice to be positive or pessimistic, the choice to argue or to listen, the choice to give God glory or to claim the fame—to name a few. 

Our choices affect Jesus and God’s heart because we are His children. When my child misbehaves or gets in trouble at school, it tears me up inside. My heart is connected to my children. I know God feels this same way because we are His—chosen, set apart, created in advance for good works (Eph. 2:10), created to mirror His glory, love, and light, designed to proclaim His name in every little thing.

With every choice, let’s speak the name of Jesus to a world that has forgotten His name. May we be the reminder of Christ’s accomplishment to a nation that is hurting, searching, broken and bleeding—in desperate need of Jesus.

We can be the salt and light their hearts crave when our actions, reactions, and decisions point to a Holy Presence that enables us to live like Jesus.

With the Holy Spirit inside of us, we can make wise decisions that go against our flesh tendencies. But it is a choice. There is always a choice. When we choose to bear ripe fruit and embody God’s grace, our Heavenly Parent is pleased. When we choose to make godly choices that are counter-cultural and wage war against our feelings, we choose Jesus. His strength shines through us in our moments of weakness when we choose God’s way anyway—regardless of our selfishness and pride (2 Cor. 12:9). Let's set it aside and choose Jesus today.