Decision taking week 46, 2014

How do you take decisions as an individual, or as a leader? What guides you? Consider the issues before the centurion. Even though Paul, a man of God warned "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also." But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship Acts 27:10-11(NIV).  Whose advice do you follow at the crossroads of life? Young king Rehoboam was advised to become a servant in the day of his coronation by elders. "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever." 1 Kgs 12:7(ESV). It was unacceptable to him. He preferred the type that showed him a tough guy, a strong man: he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions."1 Kgs 12:14-15(ESV). It was tragic and irreversible in its consequence. Absalom also pandered to advice that made him appear great (2Sam 17:1-14). It cost him his life. Would listening to Paul the prisoner, Paul the preacher, make the centurion look weak? Does it make you look weak to listen to the counsel of Jesus and the Bible? “You are a man (woman) of your own now. Decide as you please.” O how many lives have been ruined because one did not wish to appear weak, dependent on parents or elders! Please listen to the word: consequences of disregarding God’s word are terrible: how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Heb 2:3(ESV). God says “Choose life!”

The pilot and owner of the ship had a different opinion, on the surface it might appear to be sincere; but the next verse throws more light on that advice: Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest Acts27:12(NIV). The right choice (listening to God) is often inconvenient, even unsuitable to many. Indeed when it is put to vote democracy cannot be assured to give the right answer. That saying the voice of the people is the voice of God clearly is wrong in this case. This majority were not listening to God, how would they then be His voice? Never rely on democracy or convenience to tell you God’s mind. After all Jonah’s solution to the storm was also outvoted to no avail. Jonah said, "Throw me overboard, into the sea. Then the storm will stop..." But no. The men tried rowing back to shore. They made no headway. The storm only got worse and worse, wild and raging. Jon 1:12-13(MESSAGE)

Take no decisions based on what is convenient, egoistic, or on the majority decision in a godless society. Decide based on God’s word and spare us all the Euroclydons.