A God’s-Eye View

Difficult Decisions

We all face difficult decisions in our military careers and in our daily duties.  Years ago I was selected for an assignment to South Korea.  I had three options.  Report to Seoul for one year, and leave my family in the States.  Take my family with me for a two-year assignment in the Korean capital.  Or retire from the Air Force.

As in all challenging decisions, we were faced with pros and cons for each option.  My family wrestled with what we should do, and I sought guidance—and encouragement—from my current commander and the officer who made assignments for my career specialty.  After wavering back and forth, we decided to intensify our prayer.  It didn’t take God long to lead us to the path He had for us, and the one-year, unaccompanied tour went well for all of us.

Wisdom to know what is right

If we’re to do what’s right consistently, it’s important we have the wisdom to know what’s right.  Although we may feel we have a pretty good handle on this, we must occasionally step back and make sure the standard we’re applying to judge right and wrong, good and bad squares with God’s yardstick.  When we do, we may discover we’re making decisions based on man’s view rather than the Lord’s perspective.

Just outside Colorado Springs, a hollowed-out peak is the home to the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Cheyenne Mountain Complex.  In a command post in the vast cavern, huge screens display tracking data of everything the size of a basketball or larger moving above the Earth.  This gives military leaders a God’s-eye view of the planet.  We need the same godly perspective to do our jobs with excellence.  But how do we get it?

As he was about to be crowned king, Solomon recognized he was stepping into a position in which he could not afford to be wrong.  So he asked the Lord for the wisdom he’d need to lead his nation effectively.  God granted Solomon’s request, and threw in a few bonus blessings—wealth and honor—as well.

Apostle Paul recognized how important it is for followers of Christ to tap into God’s wisdom as we carry out the daily tasks that make up our lives.  He told the Colossians that, from the time he’d learned about their faith, he’d prayed continuously that God would fill them with spiritual wisdom and knowledge.  When we ask, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes with a clarity that comes only from the Lord.

This is not to say we can’t turn to other sources for wise counsel.  In the book of Proverbs, Solomon often encourages us to seek the godly advice of those who have a close relationship with the Lord.  If we’re going to follow the king’s encouragement, an important rule of thumb is that we should always ask for advice from other followers of Christ.  As Paul reminds us, the wisdom of the world is very different from God’s wisdom.

God’s-eye View

When we consider the lessons from God’s word, the direction of the Spirit, and the encouragement of other godly men and women, we can be confident the Lord will bless us with a God’s-eye view of the challenges we’re facing.

Reflection:  Are some people born with a “wisdom gene” and others are not?  Is it possible to develop the wisdom we need to make the best possible decisions?  Do Christians have an advantage in the workplace because God gives us “inside information” we can use to our advantage?  What wise counsel—human and supernatural—is available to us from outside ourselves?  How do we tap into it?

 

Post a Comment: Where do you go to find wisdom in making decisions?

 

Series:  A Christian’s View of Work in the Military: