Inspiration

DECISIONS

By Connie Arnold

People have been forced to make decisions since they learned the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’.

Hugh Lofting wrote The Story of Dr. Doolittle in 1920. How do we know he struggled with indecision? Let’s look at one of his original characters—the Pushmi-Pullyu. This animal was a picture of indecision. It looked like a llama, but it had a head at both ends. It had a past and a future but no present. Ambivalent, mixed feelings, neither a negative nor positive. He’s a whimsical character, and we can enjoy his dilemma.

In 1603 William Shakespeare published The Tragedy of Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, more simply called Hamlet. Shakespeare juggles “To be or not to be: that is the question:” He contemplates suicide, but then he asks, “But that the dread of something after death…makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of?” These thoughts are a little less enjoyable.

We know Shakespeare answered his own question. ‘To be’ was better. Although he died young, his melancholy didn’t drive him to die by his own hand.

The children of God, (and all people), are called upon to stand and be counted. This goes beyond the whimsical, the death of the body, and on to the final destiny of the soul.

Elijah asked, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: But if Baal (Satan), then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).

Someone wrote, an idol is anything that has our attention at the expense of our devotion to God. Idols do not have to be evil images housed in shrines. Idols can be things considered good by God unless they are enjoyed at the expense of our devotion to Him.

Our decision isn’t forced upon us. We have free will and are allowed to exercise it in choosing our final destiny.

Joshua made his decision, “And if it seem evil (undesirable) unto you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve;…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Hint: Joshua made it to The Promised Land.