Wisdom Quest

August 17, 2021 

A pastor decided to skip church one Sunday morning and go play golf. He told his Associate Pastor that he wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t preach that day. He drove to a golf course in another city, so nobody would know him. He teed off on the first hole. A huge gust of wind caught his ball, carried it an extra hundred yards and dropped it right in the hole, for a 450-yard hole in one. 
In heaven an angel looked at God and said, “What’d you do that for?” God smiled and said, “Who’s he going to tell?” 

It’s been said, the decisions you make today determine the stories you tell tomorrow. In this case, the decision you make today determines if you can tell that story you want to tell tomorrow.  

Our decisions matter a lot! You are the result of the decisions you made in the past. 

There are big decisions in life that are hard: who should I marry? Should I leave my job for another? The doctor gave me two choices: which should I choose? They are tough decisions because what if you marry the wrong person? What if you find yourself in the wrong job? What if you make a bad choice? 

Decisions matter because sometimes we regret our past and we might wish we could go back and change it. Maybe you regret losing your temper. Maybe you regret making a big purchase, or you regret someone you dated. 

I think it’s harder to make decisions today, in part because there are so many options! For instance, there are so many career options. One of the preschoolers at the Learning Tree Graduation when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” replied, “A youtuber!” It is a blessing that we have many options. But there’s a downside to having so many choices. What I’ve seen as couples prepare for their marriage and plan their wedding service, is they are decisioned out. That have to make what seems like a million choices about the wedding, rehearsal and reception. And they say they’re looking forward to the wedding, but they’ll also be glad when it’s over! There is a lot of stress for couples, just with planning to get married.  

I have heard stories about how, years back, some couples got  married in the parsonage, with just the pastor and two witnesses present. Then the couple and their witnesses went out to eat at a restaurant afterwards; they had no reception. It’s incredible how much less stressful that was! But you don’t get away with that anymore. Now we have to say yes to the dress and to all the stress! 

Too many options can make it stressful to make a decision. On top of that, we have hard decisions to make. You want to get it right. How do you make good decisions? How do you know what God wants you to do? 

Today we are going to look at a Bible figure who had a big choice to make. After King David died, his son Solomon was made king. In 1 Kings 3:5 it says, “the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’” God is ready to give Solomon one request. 

 6 And Solomon says, “’You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David…and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted.’” 

 Solomon knows that being a king is a very big job. So here is his request to God: 

Verse 9: “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’” 

Solomon basically asks God: Help me do what I’m supposed to do. Help me fulfill the purpose you have for me. Help me be a wise king. 

God was pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom! God said, since you did NOT ask for a long life or riches or the death of your enemies. Since instead you asked for wisdom as you administer justice, I will give you great wisdom! But as a bonus, I’ll also give you wealth and honor! God was happy with Solomon’s request, because he had a good motive, to be wise and helpful as a ruler. You need a good why behind your decision. You can’t get to the right place when you start with the wrong motives. 

Solomon turned out to be not the perfect king, not the best follower of God. He married lots of foreign wives and built worship places to foreign gods. He finally gave up worshiping God altogether and worshipped the foreign gods. 

Solomon got off track later in life. But this story is before that, about a moment when Solomon made a very good decision. He could have asked for anything, but he asked for wisdom to be a good ruler. 

Solomon made a great decision here! Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” In other words, I think I make great decisions, but God’s not so sure! What’s your motive behind your decision? You can’t get to the right place when you start with the wrong motives. 

If you have a big decision, “Should I buy a car?” Why are you buying a car? What’s your motive? Do you want reliable transportation? Or are you trying to show you are hot stuff by buying a vehicle you can’t afford? Looking at your why, and considering your motive, makes for a better decision 

If you post a photo on facebook, is it because you want to share something meaningful? Or is it because you want everyone to think, “Wow, how amazing, how important you are? 

Check your motives before you make a decision. When it comes to decisions, what God cares about is that you think about why you need to make a decision. Why you are making the decision is more important than what the decision is. When you get the why right, it’s easier to find the right what. You can’t get to the right place when you start with the wrong motives. Solomon started off well as king because he had the right motive. God is not a micromanager. God doesn’t care what make and model of vehicle you decide on. He isn’t looking for perfect decisions from you. He just wants you to consider your why before you decide. Why are you buying the car, before you do it. Or if you are considering a new job: Why do you want that new job?  

Sometimes my motives are off. Sometimes I make a decision, selfishly. I remember when I was a kid, I wanted to give my brother a gerbil for his birthday. But I was 8 and my brother was 18. Who really wanted that gerbil? Sometimes I think about what I want. But what does God want? What is God’s purpose for me? You can’t get to the right place when you start with the wrong motives. 

So, the next time you have a decision to make, here is a question to help you think about the why behind your decisions: Will this cause me to become more like Christ? That’s my homework for you. Whether it is getting a procedure the doctor suggests, making a big purchase, or deciding how to spend your time, ask yourself, “will this cause me to become more like Christ?” 

You are who you are because of the decisions you have made. What does God want you to do? God wants you to think about your purpose, why you are here. He wants you to consider what’s behind your decision. God doesn’t want us to sweat the small stuff. Decisions matter. Some decisions, like what career should I have—aren’t as important to God. He is more interested that you are faithful in your walk with God whatever job you have. The decisions that matter the most, are the decisions you make that cherish the people around you, and help you take a step in the direction of God. So, stop and consider your why. Because the right motive helps you know what God want you to do and get to the right place. Amen.