A SIMPLE CHOICE

Judges 17:1-18:31; John 3:1-21; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 14:20-21

“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

“…Judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.”

Like every year, 2009 will be a year of decisions. Perhaps there will be greater, and more important, choices than usual – if there is a usual. Our options may be more complicated, interrelated or difficult. But there is always this first: decisions made without regard for fundamental standards are never any better than mere reactions.  If we just keep on sticking our fingers in the leaky dike, we may get lucky, but we will never be secure. Too much water has already been spilled for anyone not to understand that a greater price has yet to be paid for the erosion of integrity and morality 2008 finally revealed. The real question is whether humanity will ever be ready and willing to accept the only medicine that can heal and make it whole.

God waits patiently, continuing to call us back to our spiritual foundations and the life He always intended for us, as He has for thousands of years. History proves nothing, though, if it does not stand as irrefutable evidence that even the Creator’s cries for universal societal change, morality and holiness always fall on more deaf than listening ears. No social movement has ever begun as a shifting of the masses. Ethical, economic and any other serious reform always begins with a new vision. And the vision that becomes the rudder which redirects an entire community, region or country almost always starts with one inspired individual or a very small group.

Thus, if 2009 is to be the turning point we all so desperately need, it also must be the year Christians and other bold individuals start to take things personally. Specifically, it’s time to dump the grandiose “causes” and special interests in favor of simple, individual commitment to and insistence on honesty and openness. Every person must play by the same rules. No one is impressed by loud voices and extravagant promises or schemes anymore. We have got to get back to personal responsibility and opportunity. Effective change will only begin with us, the people, not another governmental program. We need to recapture the fire and power of the America where neighbors stood by and for each other and inspired their families. It can only begin with a simple choice to come out of the dark and forcefully walk into the light.

Look at today’s situation. The problems we now face bear little relation to any major social movement. Yes, there was an inappropriate relaxation of regulation and oversight which allowed a lot of wrongdoing, but that was not itself the problem. The problem was individuals who made personal decisions to behave unethically and imprudently. Others saw, accepted and followed suit. Pretty soon, what was an aberration became a plague that undercut the financial stability of the entire world. The seeds of destruction were planted without a single major decree or proclamation promoting malfeasance. All it took was a relative handful of individuals making decisions without principles.

Jesus proved that process can be reversed. One person can save the world. There’s just one catch: commitment to sacrifice. Little in life makes an impact or has significance without some level of sacrifice. Even the bad guys get that; they just sacrifice the wrong things, like ethics and justice. We can do better. We can once more live, and inspire each other with, a simple mantra: “Do right!” There will be those who say this is too simple. People don’t even know what’s “right.”  I disagree. We even have an Example of how “right” works. We just don’t want to do right. The price is too high, the sacrifice too great.

Not for everybody. There are still a chosen few who understand the present costs of a commitment like Christ’s will inevitably and most assuredly be outstripped by the dividends paid in the abundant life the Spirit provides and in eternity. I pray God will raise up these few select men and women of vision to step fully into the light and once more inspire our people to just “Do right!”