Choice v. Decision

Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

My friend Aaron was used by God yesterday to show me a distinction between choice, or choosing, and making a decision. The thoughts or attempts to understand it continued beyond bedtime and into this morning where my daily devotional time once again touched on this idea of choosing.

And so, in an attempt to condense the lesson into an understandable, concise thought, I would say that it is first necessary to understand that a choice is made when choosing between objects. Decision on the other hand is the process of picking between different actions.

Aaron used the objects of chocolate and vanilla ice cream to illustrate his point. I would say consider this:

Someone offers you a Ferrari and a Volkswagen Beetle. Both are free of charge, but you can only have one. For me, my “Choice” would be the Ferrari. However there is something inside of me that says that even if the Ferrari was free, I would not be able to afford the operating costs so I had better choose the Volkswagen. To take the Volkswagen would be a decision, whereas for me to take the Ferrari would be a choice.

With me so far?

But in order for me to “choose” the Ferrari, I would necessarily have to not consider the costs. My “choice” of the Ferrari would have to be unconditional.

Sound familiar? Unconditional being so commonly associated with the love of Christ, and the love that Christ requires of us.

And thus, loving an enemy becomes a choice, and not a decision. Sure love seems to be an action, but really it is not. Love as a choice is to say I have no conditions on this person. They do not have to treat me right for me to care for them. They can treat me wrong, and I will still care for them. I choose them without consideration, unconditionally, without decision process, and love is created.

And so this bud of choice opens up into a flower of choice. God chooses us unconditionally. Have you chosen God, or have you made a decision based on fear, consequences, rewards, or some other action? The kingdom of God is real. Have you chosen today the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of Satan?

Have you chosen your spouse, or did you make a decision concerning them?

Have you chosen your job, or make a decision to take it?

Have you chosen life today, or death?

Have you chosen freedom today, or slavery?

Aaron also told me a story of Nelson Mandela. He said that one day in prison Nelson Mandela said, ‘wall, I choose you to be here; wall, I choose you to be here; wall, I choose you to be here; door, I choose you to be here; skin, I choose you to be this color.’ And then he lay on the floor laughing and crying. When asked by the guard what was wrong he said, “I am free.”

Choose today Who will be the object of your affection, choose Who will get your obedience. Choose Who will be that unconditional choice.

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve..." Joshua 24:15