Split decisions

High in the Colorado Rocky Mountains the waters of a small stream separate. Water literally goes left or right. Some water travels west, joins the Colorado River, and empties into the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean. Likewise, some water travels east, joins the Mississippi River and dumps into the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Water traveling downstream at the exact same time winds up in two entirely different locations. One small turning point determines an outcome.

Our decisions are the same way. It can be a small thing like opting for a walk after lunch each day.

I am about to get into specifics here to make a point. Likely, these specifics don’t apply, but I pray you’ll appropriate the message.

So, yes, you decide to walk after lunch each day. You can sit at the lunch table for another ten to fifteen minutes listening to small talk, or opt to take a lap around the building or the block.

Okay. Simple enough. Take this further. Suppose the small talk is just that—small and petty. Negativity slips in there, too. Oh, it’s not much. Just a dig here and there. But add that time up for a whole year.

Outdoors, however, you pay attention to the peace and energy you’re experiencing with your endorphins in a higher gear. You notice the weather of course, and the seasons. Your thoughts turn to appreciative thoughts which turn to gratitude which turn to prayer. And years earlier, you did not describe yourself as someone who prayed.

I walk the Troops (the dogs) at least twice a day. Unquestionably, this is my God time. Of course, I’ll plug in a good walk when I can. But suppose you can’t walk each day—or any day—for some reason. For another reason, say you can’t leave the table. So, you’re there at that table around people who drain you. We’ve all heard the expression of a bad apple, but what if, in the groans and grumblings, you used the time to get to know those around you.

There isn’t a saying about a good apple I know of, but what if you made the decision to find ways in the work day to talk to those who are down and out. Don’t forget, misery loves company. One of the universal truths in life is people can talk about themselves, especially on a subject they have passion about.

But there’s more. You know enough about them for conversation and support. You know the difference between banter that encourages negativity and caring reflection based on sharing love. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to encourage each other and build each other up.

So, you decide to join the negative talk not to stay there, but to hear how people really are. Listening makes a difference. True enough, a person in the dumps can bring someone else down in the dumps too. The reverse, however, is equally true. A person who chooses not to dragged down isn’t down. And scripture says where there is light there can be no darkness (Isaiah 9:2, John 8:12, 1 John 1:5-7).

Choose to be light. I don’t mean this in some sugarcoated Pollyanna way. I mean this in a Christian way. When you know how the story ends and choose how your story ends, then you know your story ends with Jesus not by his force but your choice. Knowing this heavenly eternity makes this obvious: the hard spots in life may still be hard, but not so hard. Bad seasons don’t stay. They teach us a godly lesson and pass. God is with you during those seasons. And no matter how much darkness you experience in a day, a week, a month or a year, you know there is light—great, never ending light.

We are constantly making choices. Whether you go left or right, walk for the final minutes of your lunch hour or hunker down and pray right beside those who in the moment are laying out verbal garbage, you have the choice: you can turn to—or return to—God.