Tip of My Iceberg

Decision making is an arduous process–for some.

I have a daughter who is very quick and decisive. She’s aware of the big picture, and when choices need to be made, she rapidly assesses the situation and lands on a solution.

I, on the other hand, hesitate when making decisions. I love my options, so choosing among the many is a challenge. Especially if I consider that more options may soon appear.

Growing up, decision making was a sign of responsibility. Making choices wasn’t an open-ended issue where consequences didn’t matter. We were taught that what we decided was what we had to live with. No avoiding undesired outcomes because of a poor choice.

The question exists today whether young people will truly own responsibility for decisions made. It’s a sign of adulting to honestly accept the results of choices we make. We don’t have to appreciate the outcomes, but we do need to accept what those outcomes are.

Two of our grands, Brooklyn and Mason, made serious decisions this past weekend that will impact them for a long time to come.

They made the choice to be baptized.

Many are confused by what baptism is. The word “baptism” literally means “to dye”, as in dipping a piece of cloth in a color and having it come out identified with the new color. It symbolizes being immersed in one condition and coming out looking brand new.

There’s a reason people choose to be baptized. It signifies a decision to follow Jesus, to see Him as the One who can save us from our mess with His grace and forgiveness. It’s choosing to enter into a relationship with the God of the universe who loved us enough to become one of us and pay a penalty we could never come up with ourselves.

Our two grands knew what they were doing. Both had asked the hard questions about why it mattered to become right before God, to have somebody die in our place. They asked why anyone would die for all people. Why Someone would take our place, pay the penalty we’d accrued, and forgive us fully for lives filled with chaos.

They chose to believe in a grace-filled, loving God who cared enough to make it possible for us to be with Him forever.

It wasn’t an impossible decision. It made sense to both of them.

They emerged with huge smiles on their faces.

They understood what so many don’t realize.

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days He has been revealed for your sake.” 1 Peter 1:18-20.

Jesus made the choice to pay the price for all the wrong we’ve done. He stood by that decision, never hesitating because He chose to love us.

We can make the decision to allow Him to take our burden of pain on Himself. No strings attached. No works needed to solidify our standing with Him.

Just the choice to believe.

I guarantee you, it’s not a decision you’ll regret.