Decisions, Decisions

Proverbs 1:5 (New International Version)

let the wise listen and add to their learning,

   and let the discerning get guidance—

Little decisions can have some far reaching consequences.

That's what happened years ago when there was an epidemic of Malaria in Borneo. Health officers sprayed the area with DDT to kill the mosquitoes. The mosquitoes did die, but the insecticide partially paralyzed flies who became easy pray for insect-eating lizards.

When the lizards ate the insecticide-laden flies, they too became sick and slowed down. Because the lizards were moving slower, they were eaten by the cats, which soon died.

With no cats, the rat population flourished and a plague threatened the people. Things eventually got so bad they actually had to parachute cats into Borneo.

The little decision to spray for mosquitoes had some far reaching consequences.

Each day, each of us makes a multitude of little decisions. Like a stone thrown into a pond, the ripples of our choices can extend far further than we might think possible.

Naturally, as Christians, we want to minimize the bad and maximize the good. To that end, let us it our goal to spend some time thinking through our decisions, even the small ones, before we make them. As we do, let’s make sure to spend some time with the Lord in prayer. Ask Him for His guidance, and search the Scriptures for His direction.

If we do that, we will see our lives and those around us filled with a little more gladness and a lot less regret.

Dear Lord we pray today that as we make our decisions we would look to You through prayer and through Your word, the Bible. In Jesus’ name, Amen.