COUNTING THE COST AND PAYING THE PRICE

Decide today whom you will serve.

Joshua 24

The word decision comes from the Latin meaning “to cut apart.” When you “decide,” when you “cut things apart,” something stays and something goes, something is chosen and something is rejected, something is embraced and something is pushed away.

We are asked to choose all day, everyday! When we “decide,” we “cut apart” one option from another so as to concentrate our energy in one area, rather than weakening it by spreading it too thin over too many areas. When we fail to “decide,” we are often left paralyzed and end up doing nothing - or worse, we end up in that "being married and acting single" kind of hypocrisy. Like the old saying goes, "You can't have your cake and eat it too!" 

The reading cited above is about decision and choice. Joshua asks the people to make a decision about committing themselves to the God of Israel. Arriving in a land sprinkled with other gods and the temptation to stray from fidelity to the God of Israel, Joshua asks for a decision. Joshua had asked the Israelites to remain faithful before, but here he is at the end of his life, asking them yet again for fidelity.  “Choose today whom you will serve! As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 

This reading has an important message for us today when people’s word and commitments often mean very little. We live in a world of “latest best offer.”  “I’ll love you until someone better comes along, until you get fat and sick, until, until, until….” People used to do business with the shake of a hand. Now you have to call in the lawyers and witnesses because people will lie to your face. The Arabs have a saying, “Trust your camel, but tie it first!” All this has made us a bit cynical and suspicious of each other.

When it comes to fidelity, doing what is right and doing what we have committed to do, a principled person decides what he will do according to a set of standards and values while an opportunist decides what he will do according to whether it will bring him immediate satisfaction and gain, regardless of the harm to himself or others. 

The second thing about fidelity is that we have to practice it – we have to be faithful in small things before we can be faithful in big things. Fidelity is like weight lifting. You are able to lift heavy loads by lifting heavier and heavier loads over a long time.

The third thing about fidelity is that it is always fragile and therefore must be protected. It is not static, but fluid. Fidelity, like a baby, is fragile and needs constant care and feeding over many years.

We live in a world of choices. This is a blessing that carries great responsibility. We have a choice, yes, but also a responsibility to make good choices. Once we make a good choice, we have a responsibility to carry through on that choice, not just for our own good, but also for the good of the people around us.