Our family has spent the last five Sundays interacting with a message series based on Ephesians 5:15-17 "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

 

We have found that our tendency is to want to live our lives as close to the line of right and wrong as possible, and that when we think about it, usually decisions that are wrong that cause problems - the kinds of decisions that put us in situations where we feel trapped, or know we are in big trouble, are generally preceded by a series of unwise decisions.  You wouldn't call any of them wrong, but if we stop asking the question 'is this right or wrong?' and start asking 'is this the wise thing to do', then we put ourselves in a much better position to make good choices in life and avoid regret later on.

 

This way of looking at things has been very helpful for us.  We feel it is important to acknowledge and apply that we have been called as Christ's people to live as those who are wise, not those who are unwise.  So every decision gets filtered through this question:  in light of my past experiences, my present circumstances, my future hopes and dreams, and where I sense God's leading - what is the wise thing for me to do? 

 

We invite you to try asking this question for yourself in every decision making situation you need to make in every arena of life and see if it doesn't change some things for you too.