Deuteronomy 30:19-20

We all have choices – even when we say we do not. Some choices are easy. Some choices are extremely difficult

Story of Naaman and the servant girl. 2 kings 5:1-19

Read 2 kings 5:1-2 we can see that Naaman was a highly respected man. A national hero, victorious over the enemies of his country. A great man and the king likes him, in fact it looks like everybody likes this man. The servant girl chooses to tell her mistress that God is real, and that Naaman can be healed of leprosy.. And Naaman listens. I wonder why? Perhaps her life spelt volumes. Perhaps he had watched how she served his wife. Naaman listened and was healed. Naaman made many choices didn’t he? And because he chose to listen to his wife’s servant girl – he was healed But more than that. He came to know God. He saw the power. And he believed.  All because as young girl decided to speak up. She chose to make a stand. God uses her to teach and lead a very powerful man to God.

We all have choices. But so often we say we do not. There is this expression that we use – we say “I had no choice”. And I HATE it because there are extremely few instances when and where we have no choice at all.

We do not want to take responsibility for our choices – especially when something goes wrong after we made them!

What do I mean by this – taking responsibility? What does it look like?

1. Ok well so often we don’t want to appear wrong or stupid. So we tend to play the blame game. “It’s not my fault we say”
2. Another point to remember is this. Many times ALL the choices look awful. My son Murray is working in the city of London. He earns very well – BUT he HATES his job. He has to make choices.
3. Another thing to remember is that sometimes our choices will be VERY unpopular. We may hurt someone. E.g. saying no to your child about a school excursion because you simply don’t have the money
4. When we take responsibility for our choices we choose our attitudes too.
5. Remember that anger is a choice also.

Yes you do have choices. You cannot change the cards you are given but you can choose how you play them.  You can choose to be the salt and the light. To stay in the real world. AND you do not have control over the consequences of those choices. That is another subject entirely. You cannot control everything but you can choose how you will live as a child of God no matter what happens.

So I want you to be able to go away from here really believing that and taking responsibility for each and every choice you make. And I’d love you to teach your family this very thing. You ALWAYS have choices. Sometimes they are just all horrible

So will you remember this? We all have choices. Sometimes there are not many nice ones. We can learn from our poor choices/mistakes and continue to take responsibility for them.  Which is a choice

Ephesians 3:20-21

You have already made the biggest toughest and best decision that you will ever make. You know what that is. Yes. You said yes to Jesus.