Choices
Do I believe that in "becoming willing" I have made the best of all choices?
We must never be blinded by the futile philosophy that we are just he victims of our inheritance, of our life experience, and of our surroundings --- which these are the sole forces that make out decisions for us. This is not the road to freedom. We have to believe that we can really choose.
Genesis 2:15-17 --- The Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
God gave Adam responsibility for the garden and told him not to eat from the knowledge of good and evil. Rather than physically preventing him from eating, God gave Adam a choice, even though Adam might choose wrongly. God still gives us choices today, and we, too, often chose wrongly. These wrong choices may cause us pain and irritation, but they can help us learn and grow and make better choices in the future. Living with the consequences of our choices is one of the best ways to become more responsible.
Everyday of our human existence is filled with a multitude of choices. From the moment we awake to the moment we finally fall asleep, we make many choices … what we'll eat, what we'll wear, and of course what we'll do. Many of the choices we may make are insignificant in many ways, yet the same choices depending upon the situation can also be quite significant.
For example, what we eat, is for the most part based upon what we like and have developed a taste for. However, if we have one of various health problems there are certain things we should not eat. Also there are certain things that are poisonous, or if not stored or prepared properly can cause sickness and even death.
Another example, what we wear. We must often consider a number of things when we choose what we will wear. Are we going someplace? What is the weather going to be like? If we are staying at home, we may choose not to get dressed and stay in our pajamas. We would most likely not choose to wear shorts, a tank top and sandals outside, when the temperature is 10 degrees below zero. We would most likely not wear a tuxedo or formal gown to do yard work.
We often hear from psychologists and psychiatrists that a certain individual is genetically predisposed to such and such condition, for example, being an alcoholic or diabetic. Obviously one is quite different from the other in a general medical sense. However they both are often subject to personal choices, sometimes associated with a psychological or physiological need. How many times have we had such a desire or want for something that we've ignored our inner gut feeling of not to and done it anyway?
Often times we make choices based upon our life experiences. For example we may be extremely hesitant to go into a body of water that is over our head if we have experienced nearly drowning, i.e., the sense of danger. Yet in the same vein, we may also strap into a top fuel dragster, amidst the potential danger, merely because of the adrenaline rush that it provides us.
Yet one of the most common and frequently used excuses for our choices is based upon "That's how I was raised," or "I'm a product of the society I live in." Is that really how we want to live our lives and make choices about the things we do in life? Two of the most common cliches of this manner of thinking are: "When in Rome do as the Romans do," and "A million Frenchmen couldn't be wrong." These choices are based not upon life experiences or wisdom but based upon our perception of the world around us.
An aphorism I like to express the issue of choice: "In effect it (life's choices) can be likened to the soldier who is alone and trapped behind enemy lines. He knows there are enemy patrols out searching for him, and if they catch him they will kill him. Between him and his own army is a vast minefield. His options of getting back are continuing to try and evade the enemy patrols and circumnavigate the minefield risking capture and sure death. Or using his military training and skills and attempt to navigate his way through the minefield still risking death but with the knowledge that the enemy patrols will not follow him into the minefield. And that should he make it through the minefield he has secured life by embracing death."
Much is the same with daily life and our individual journey along the path of life. The experience we gain by embracing death, embracing our fears, becomes a life changing experience of how to change our life by facing our deepest and darkest fears. Do I face my fears head-on with the intent of having nothing to loose? Do I continually try to take detours staying in familiar surroundings? Do I daily embrace death in today's battle for my life? For each moment and choice is a battle for life. What is my life worth? Am I content to follow the path of others and possibly loose the battle today? Yes there are times which only wisdom from experience can tell us which is the path of least resistance or effort; and which path will grant us personal freedom should we successfully navigate the day's minefield. What is my life worth? Am I content to follow the familiar, or am I willing to step out of my comfort zone and face my shadows? Will I continue to be haunted by my shadows and stay where life is comfortable? The choice is mine and mine alone; no one can make it for me or help me make it.
I ask you to think back to the years as a little child, when you may have been told to stay out of the cookie jar because it would ruin your dinner. Did you? Or did you allow the desire of those cookies to overrule what you were told? What was the feeling in your gut, as you looked around the room to make sure no one was watching and reached your hand into the cookie jar? It is that same gut feeling that comes from our heart-of-hearts that gives us the proper answer, no the desire of our thoughts.
How do we base our personal choices? Do we examine the potential consequences of those choices? Do we examine not only the individual consequences but also those to others? Do we make our choices based upon the social norms of society? Do we rely on our thinking instead of our heart? Lastly, are we willing and ready to accept and take full responsibility for the choices we make and the consequences or results of those choices?
We must never be blinded by the futile philosophy that we are just he victims of our inheritance, of our life experience, and of our surroundings --- which these are the sole forces that make out decisions for us. This is not the road to freedom. We have to believe that we can really choose.
Genesis 2:15-17 --- The Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
God gave Adam responsibility for the garden and told him not to eat from the knowledge of good and evil. Rather than physically preventing him from eating, God gave Adam a choice, even though Adam might choose wrongly. God still gives us choices today, and we, too, often chose wrongly. These wrong choices may cause us pain and irritation, but they can help us learn and grow and make better choices in the future. Living with the consequences of our choices is one of the best ways to become more responsible.
Everyday of our human existence is filled with a multitude of choices. From the moment we awake to the moment we finally fall asleep, we make many choices … what we'll eat, what we'll wear, and of course what we'll do. Many of the choices we may make are insignificant in many ways, yet the same choices depending upon the situation can also be quite significant.
For example, what we eat, is for the most part based upon what we like and have developed a taste for. However, if we have one of various health problems there are certain things we should not eat. Also there are certain things that are poisonous, or if not stored or prepared properly can cause sickness and even death.
Another example, what we wear. We must often consider a number of things when we choose what we will wear. Are we going someplace? What is the weather going to be like? If we are staying at home, we may choose not to get dressed and stay in our pajamas. We would most likely not choose to wear shorts, a tank top and sandals outside, when the temperature is 10 degrees below zero. We would most likely not wear a tuxedo or formal gown to do yard work.
We often hear from psychologists and psychiatrists that a certain individual is genetically predisposed to such and such condition, for example, being an alcoholic or diabetic. Obviously one is quite different from the other in a general medical sense. However they both are often subject to personal choices, sometimes associated with a psychological or physiological need. How many times have we had such a desire or want for something that we've ignored our inner gut feeling of not to and done it anyway?
Often times we make choices based upon our life experiences. For example we may be extremely hesitant to go into a body of water that is over our head if we have experienced nearly drowning, i.e., the sense of danger. Yet in the same vein, we may also strap into a top fuel dragster, amidst the potential danger, merely because of the adrenaline rush that it provides us.
Yet one of the most common and frequently used excuses for our choices is based upon "That's how I was raised," or "I'm a product of the society I live in." Is that really how we want to live our lives and make choices about the things we do in life? Two of the most common cliches of this manner of thinking are: "When in Rome do as the Romans do," and "A million Frenchmen couldn't be wrong." These choices are based not upon life experiences or wisdom but based upon our perception of the world around us.
An aphorism I like to express the issue of choice: "In effect it (life's choices) can be likened to the soldier who is alone and trapped behind enemy lines. He knows there are enemy patrols out searching for him, and if they catch him they will kill him. Between him and his own army is a vast minefield. His options of getting back are continuing to try and evade the enemy patrols and circumnavigate the minefield risking capture and sure death. Or using his military training and skills and attempt to navigate his way through the minefield still risking death but with the knowledge that the enemy patrols will not follow him into the minefield. And that should he make it through the minefield he has secured life by embracing death."
Much is the same with daily life and our individual journey along the path of life. The experience we gain by embracing death, embracing our fears, becomes a life changing experience of how to change our life by facing our deepest and darkest fears. Do I face my fears head-on with the intent of having nothing to loose? Do I continually try to take detours staying in familiar surroundings? Do I daily embrace death in today's battle for my life? For each moment and choice is a battle for life. What is my life worth? Am I content to follow the path of others and possibly loose the battle today? Yes there are times which only wisdom from experience can tell us which is the path of least resistance or effort; and which path will grant us personal freedom should we successfully navigate the day's minefield. What is my life worth? Am I content to follow the familiar, or am I willing to step out of my comfort zone and face my shadows? Will I continue to be haunted by my shadows and stay where life is comfortable? The choice is mine and mine alone; no one can make it for me or help me make it.
I ask you to think back to the years as a little child, when you may have been told to stay out of the cookie jar because it would ruin your dinner. Did you? Or did you allow the desire of those cookies to overrule what you were told? What was the feeling in your gut, as you looked around the room to make sure no one was watching and reached your hand into the cookie jar? It is that same gut feeling that comes from our heart-of-hearts that gives us the proper answer, no the desire of our thoughts.
How do we base our personal choices? Do we examine the potential consequences of those choices? Do we examine not only the individual consequences but also those to others? Do we make our choices based upon the social norms of society? Do we rely on our thinking instead of our heart? Lastly, are we willing and ready to accept and take full responsibility for the choices we make and the consequences or results of those choices?
posted by Silver Eagle | 5:59 AM
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