Stop, Think !
Make the Right Choice
By Glennys Elliott
Lesson 3
Imagine that you are a passenger in a car and there is an intersection just ahead. The driver of the car is talking away and not paying much attention to what is ahead. You notice that the light turns yellow, but the driver keeps right on talking and does not seem to notice the yellow light. Now the light is red and the driver is merrily steering the wheel and does not step on the brake but continues along as if the light was green. Then you go right into the intersection with a big red light staring you in the face.
Sometimes you’re not the passenger, you’re the driver who does something stupid. Several things can happen when you run a red light.
- A police officer may be watching and pull you over and write you out a ticket.
- Worse yet, you could cause a serious accident. It is possible that someone could suffer injuries that would have permanent effects.
- Even worse, someone might die because you were not paying attention.
Compare your thinking to a traffic light. When there is a decision to be made, it is important to Stop and Think. You cannot get your driver’s license without prior knowledge of how to operate a vehicle and the laws of the road. So it is with thinking. You must prepare your mind ahead of time by filling it with the word of God. Then, when a decision is to be made, you will have the correct knowledge to make a wise decision; a decision that will be pleasing to God.
Therefore, when a decision is to be made; you STOP, THINK, MAKE A CHOICE, AND THEN PROCEED. You make that choice based on your knowledge of the Bible.
In this example we will start from the red light and work our way to the green light.
The red light, of course, tells you to stop. Don’t ever just plow ahead in life without stopping to consult God.
The yellow light represents a time of safety, a time to slow down. So, in your mind it is a time to think about what to say and do, and how to understand whatever it is that you must make a decision about (a time of wisely thinking about your choices in any given situation that requires a decision about what to say and do).
Then when you have made the correct choice, proceed; just like a green light allows you to do when you are driving.
As Gruden (in the book Christian Beliefs) puts it, “Every thought, every word, every action, every choice and decision, and every relationship should be defined by what God says about it.”
What does God have to say about these topics?
- words
- thoughts
- actions
- decisions/choices
- relationships
How do you usually make your decisions?
Have you ever made a decision out of desperation? Perhaps, your desperation had its roots in fear, panic, anger, worry, revenge, jealousy, lust, and/or greed.
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