Choice is a powerful skill. To be intentional with our choices is vital for a life. Intention guides the choices we make in love and faith. Some of our choices give us life, other choices take our energy away. Some people have been known to choose to not make a choice and just let things happen. That too, is a choice. At other times, we may not even be aware that we had a choice and simply followed the path laid out before us. Learning new concepts, obtaining new skills and widening the welcome of who is acceptable, are all choices. To be open to God’s influence and shaping love for our lives is a choice. For each choice consciously made or unconsciously resisted and not made, there are consequences.
It takes faith. It takes courage. It takes intentional engagement with life to make choices. And on occasion we discover that the choice we have made is not our best option. That is when we must have the courage, faith, and guidance of God’s discerning love to change our choice for our best authentic life to be lived.
The Scripture
It sounds like a harsh word from Jesus. In Luke 12: 49-56 we discover the insistence of Jesus for each person and community of believers to make a choice. The question is, how do we respond to Jesus? Do we give faith a nod? Is our love of Jesus central to our own self identity and ways of life engagements? How do we examine the evidence from God that Jesus truly is God and not just a great wisdom teacher?
Culturally we are accustomed to an image of Jesus that sounds less stern and more grace filled than this pericope. What we discover from this Scripture is that yes, Jesus is the way of forgiveness, encouragement, grace, hope, and resurrection. However, this text has Jesus speaking in a way that does not sound loving. Or so it seems. The ultimatum that Jesus stated in this text is “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.“ The question resounds, “Who is Jesus that utters this word?”
As Scot McKnight states
Jesus would have never been crucified, would never have drawn the fire that he did, would never have commanded the following that he did, and would never have created a movement that still shakes the world, [if he had only appeared grace filled and never challenged any established habitual ways of life forcing people to make a choice.][i]
Jesus is God. Jesus is God as a creative, powerful, loving, redemptive Word who cares for all humanity (individually and in community) beyond social etiquette and religious boundaries. Jesus was and is calling individuals and communities to repentance from a human/cultural led way of life to respond to Jesus with an intentional choice to proclaim Jesus; and to live out loud as Jesus’ loves, even when it is not socially acceptable.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today we are invited to Examen our choices. It is our choice how we respond to others when they make us angry or we feel vulnerable. It is our intentional choice to embrace living Jesus’ love; that is loving others with an inclusive relentless love of God even when he, she, or they push our hot buttons.
All too often it is culturally acceptable to have unbridled tongues which lash out with vengeance, tongues which speak words to demean, belittle, reduce the other into a shredded self-worth so that the tongue lasher may feel powerful for a moment. Slander and untruths flourish stringently so that it becomes nearly impossible to discern what is truly factual. Beyond tongue lashing, physical abuses are rampant among humanity around the globe.
Many places it is culturally acceptable to make ourselves number one, to watch out for our own interest above the interests of others and our earth, to crave success in the competitive world market, and to have relational dynamics evolve around our dreams and desires at the demise of the others’ dreams and desires.
Culturally it is fight or flight. The biggest and strongest get their way while others hide and cower in fear.
Today is an Examen of our choices. Consider what intentional and unintentional choices your have made and the consequences of these choices. As you pray this Examen:
- Ask God to guide your memory.
- Ask God to open your imagination and heart to hear God’s whispers of remembrance for the choices you have made and lived.
- Consider if there have been missed opportunities by your choice or lack thereof.
- Offer to God repentance for reorientation of your life choices, if you have ever been implicit in the harm or unjust practices of others.
- Sit in silence. Listen deeply for God’s forgiving word to you as you are commissioned to new life.
- Concludes your prayer time in covenant making with Jesus. Seek his assist to live as Jesus’ little love on earth.
Enjoy praying.
[i] Darrell L, Bock. 1996. The NIV Application Commentary: Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. Page 369.
