Nancy and I have a daughter, Melissa, who is a nurse, so it is understandable that she works in the healthcare field. She has great gifts for caring for patients, but she also has quite a bit of knowledge and experience that gives her insight into the impact that life choices might have on a person’s life. In fact, on more than one occasion I’ve heard her softly speak the words, “Make wise choices, people!” when she comes upon a situation in which there are potentially unwise choices being considered.
One such occasion was when our family was on vacation in north central Minnesota. Melissa and I were on a bike trail for an afternoon bike ride. There are a number of bridges along the bike trail taking us over streams and small bodies of water. At one bridge, kids were jumping off the railing of the bridge into the water below. I could tell this made Melissa a bit uncomfortable, wondering if the kids knew how deep the water really was and what obstacles might be invisible under the surface of the water. As we were riding close to this group of youth I could hear Melissa, in almost a prayer-like whisper say, “Make wise choices, people!”
What got me thinking about this is I’m reading from the Book of 2 Kings in the Old Testament of the Bible for my personal quiet time. I’m reading in a section that gives a listing of the kings of Judah and Israel. There is usually a brief listing of the accomplishments of the king or the way he fell short. So often the king’s life or reign is summed up with one of two phrases. It will say, “King So and So did what was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.” Or “King So and So did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Whichever phrase describes the king’s leadership depends totally on the decisions and the choices the king made.
I’m reminded of one of my favorite authors and preachers that I like to listen to. His name is Rev. Andy Stanley. He’s written a book and given sermons on decision-making in life and faith. In his book he shares that the secret to making good or wise decisions is to ask good questions…and to answer them honestly. One question Andy Stanley suggests we ask ourselves regarding choices and decisions we have to make, is what he calls “The Legacy Question” which is, “What story do I want to tell?”
In other words, when the particular moment in time one is currently dealing or wrestling with is in the rearview mirror of life, or in the past, what story do I want to tell? He is saying that we can determine, in part, our legacy, or the way we are remembered, by the choices and decisions we make now. Yes, it’s true there are always certain elements of life that are beyond our control. Yet, how we respond in those moments is always within our control. We do have choices that we make. How life unfolds for each of us is constantly about the choices or the decisions we make. So, a great question to continually ask ourselves is, “What story do I want to tell?”
As we begin this new year another great question to ask ourselves is, “What is the story I want to tell in 2025 about my life in 2024?” Grab a sheet of paper or a computer. See if you can fill up a page or a screen of what you want your story to say next year about your life this year. Once you have a sheet or two written up, read it over and start living it out. Our actions today will impact what happens tomorrow…which will impact the story we are able to tell next year. As we continue on in this new year, may we hear the words of my daughter being whispered in each of our ears, “Make wise choices, people!” Happy New Year!!! Let’s make it a great year!!!
Pastor Keith