Each day our lives are filled with decisions. How can you know you are making the right decisions in life? It is said that Sir Isaac Newton was once asked how he made so many discoveries. His reply was that if he had seen farther than other people it was only because he had stood on the shoulders of giants who had gone before him. You and I can live the same conviction. There are lot of books on the market promising a better you and better decision making power. However, the best book of self-help, the greatest book for decision-making is in my opinion the greatest book of all time, the Holy Bible.
No matter what decision you may be facing today or tomorrow, look to the giants of the Bible and learn to stand on their shoulders. Abraham was told by God to leave his family and everything he was comfortable with to go to a place – well he did not know where he was going. God said (George’s paraphrase) “I’ll tell you when you get there.” (Genesis 12) Joseph was sold into slavery as a boy, by his own brothers, and later thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit. Yet Joseph stayed true to the teaching of God and ended up second (only to the king) in command in this foreign land. (Genesis 35-50) Esther was an unlikely candidate for a queen, yet she was selected by the king and as queen was used by God to save an entire nation of people. (Esther 1-10)
A young servant maiden (name unknown) risking her life told her mistress that if her high ranking husband would go to a specific prophet of God in the maiden’s former country, he would be healed of a terrible disease. This type healing of this disease had never before occurred or even been mentioned in any scripture or other writing. What prompted this young maiden to make such a claim? I believe she was standing on the shoulders of those who had gone before her, trusting in her God – the one and only true God. The diseased man went and was healed just as the maiden predicted. (2 Kings 5)
Each one of the stories mentioned above are great, encouraging, inspirational accounts and well worth the read. Scripture is full, from Genesis to Revelation, of giants who have followed the life principles necessary to make not only good, but great, solid, right decisions in all walks and arenas of life. Life has not thrown anything at you as an individual, pastor, ministry leader, or corporate personnel that God’s word, The Holy Bible does not give an account for making the right, solid decision. Follow His prescription and you’ll not only make the right decision today, but you will be poised for the next decision coming your way tomorrow and next week.
Stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before you by learning and following the true principles of life. They’re all found in God’s Word.
For more information on this topic see earlier posts from July 28, 2014 and October 6, 2014.