Deuteronomy 30:19

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God."

Reflection by Robert Naylor

Life is becoming increasing difficult for me.  My new television cable package offers 78 basic channels and another hundred or more HD offerings.  I thank God every day that I didn't buy the premium package.  My favorite ice cream store now has over 40 flavors.  I have a lengthy list of daily activities from which to select: writing, working in the soup kitchen, playing golf, tutoring children and youth, practicing my guitar, visiting the local long-term care facilities, taking a cooking class . . . and on and on.

I share in the basic problem of being human—dealing with God's gift and curse to us of "free will."  I am faced with too many choices to make. As the famous writer E.B. White commented, "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day."

God's gift of free will does require some prayerful decision-making as we face the choices that the day brings.   The daily question the faithful must ask focuses on whether we will choose to improve the world or make "me" and my welfare the center of it. Our words to others can be gracious or hurtful; we can choose to keep silent or speak up in the face of wrong; the way we choose to use our material wealth can bring healing or harm to the world.

But I do have one problem with White's dichotomy of "improve" vs. "enjoy."  The truth is, when we choose to improve the world through selfless service we come to know a joy beyond our comprehension.  Just as God did with the faithful/wayward children of Israel, at each moment God is pleading with us to choose life.  Let us go this day and in all of its minutes and hours, let us choose life.  
 
Prayer

God give me the insight today to choose life so that I will be an instrument for improving the world and so find the fullness of joy that comes with serving you.  Amen.
About the Author

About the Author Robert Naylor is a United Church of Christ minister and and lead consultant for In Church Imaging, a leadership training and planning resource for clergy and local churches..

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