Making Choices

Jim:

Amos 5:1-17
Verse 15 lays out a choice for the people of God: “Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” Elsewhere Amos has encourages the people to “seek (God) and live” (v. 4) and “seek good and not evil, that you may live.” (v. 14) Life is full of choices, and those choices have consequences for us and for others. The People of God are no different. The choice God offers is one of right relationship based on goodness and justice. To live this way as individuals and as a community is to provide the environment though which God’s grace and mercy may abound, though which we may become partners in God’s activity to God’s glory.

Jude 1-16
Jude also talks about choices that are made and about those who choose poorly. Verse 16 lays out some of the attributes of those who stand in opposition to God’s will. “These are grumblers and malcontents; they indulge their own lusts; they are bombastic in speech, flattering people to their own advantage.” To live in such a way is to cause harm to the community of faith and to invite the judgment of God. We all make mistakes. We all make poor choices from time to time. Perhaps we will grumble, or look for our own advantage in a situation. Maybe we will too easily find fault with others or will refuse to see the good all around us. This is the nature of sin. But God invites us to strive toward good choices, to aspire to more godly living, that we and those around us may be blessed.

Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus, too, presents a parable about choice. I believe that is the issue with the wedding guest described in verses 11 and 12. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who as not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.” The man who is not dressed appropriately has not lived his life in such a way as to be prepared for God’s coming. Instead of being clothed in acts of goodness and mercy, he has chosen sinful disregard to God’s will. As such he has no defense when he is challenged by the king. He has not strived to participate in God’s work, not aspired to be a party to the graciousness that God offers. He is not in step with the coming kingdom or the wedding feast. What choices do we make? How are we living our lives? Are we dressed appropriately for God’s kingdom?