Better
Week 3: Better Choices

Scripture: Proverbs 1:7 // James 2:10 // 1 Corinthians 6:12

Without proper wisdom, all of us run the risk of allowing toxic things into our hearts and minds. Toxic is any choice that leads us to poisonous outcomes that can lead to our harm, sickness, or death.

How do we make Better Choices:
1. BETTER CHOICES BEGIN WITH A FEAR OF GOD

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This word for fear can be best understood as reverence or respect. When we begin with a deep reverence and respect for God because of His position before us, as all powerful creator and our position before Him, as fallible humans, we begin to live with wisdom in our everyday choices.

When we are given a list of toxic choices that seem like a good choice at the moment, we sometimes need to have some kind of reason to flee. That reason is a fear, reverence, and respect of almighty God. Knowing that God is looking out for our best interest, we don’t want to make decisions that might upset Him or break His heart.

How do we make Better Choices:
2. KNOW THAT EVEN A TRACE OF TOXIN CAN BE HARMFUL

Sometimes our minds and hearts can try and fool us into believing that just a little bit of bad choices won’t make much of a difference.

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

When we make a choice to break the law of God, even in a way that may seem as small or insignificant to us, we are guilty of breaking all the laws of God. Bad choices in any area bring the same consequences as bad choices in every area, they all separate us from God.

How do we make Better Choices:
3. REMEMBER THAT JUST BECAUSE I CAN DOES NOT MEAN I SHOULD

As humans, God has given each of us an incredible gift that can be a double-edged sword. That gift is a free choice. We have been given a portion of authority to make decisions for our lives that affect us and others.

1 Corinthians 6:12
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

For context, Paul is specifically addressing some of the poor decisions that the early Church was making in terms of their sexuality. They were trying to make a case as to why it did not really matter what they did with their bodies because they would get a new one at the resurrection anyway. But Paul says that is faulty logic.

What choices have you made in the last year that given a second chance you would change?

What choices do you know lie ahead of you that you need God’s wisdom to navigate?