August 26 - Quickly

John 13:21-30

Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27 ESV)

Over the centuries there have been a lot of questions surrounding Judas. I feel pretty unqualified to answer them. I am a firm believer in just letting the Word speak for itself on those issues that can be all too easily confused.

Jesus knew Judas would betray him. He called him out about it ina. Very subtle and private manner. He told Judas to do what he was going to do. He told him to do it quickly.

It makes me wonder if Jesus ever looks at you or I and (fully knowing our future) hopes that we will hurry through a particularly troubling season. Maybe he sees a mistake we will knowingly choose to make, but he also knows that we will choose to be reconciled after that mistake.

You see, Judas and Peter both betrayed Jesus. Judas plotted and schemed for money, but Peter denied his connection to Jesus outright. Both were wrong. The difference is in how they chose to respond. Peter sought correction and redemption through forgiveness, yet Judas chose painful rejection without reconciliation.

I don't believe Jesus wants any of us to knowingly sin, but he also knows just how imperfect we all can be. What if he is less concerned with slow punishment, and more attracted to quick redemption?

10 Tips for Making Good Decisions

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. It is a fact of life. We make decisions daily. Some of them are almost inconsequential while others are potentially life altering for ourselves and others. In the case of that latter kind, I'd like to offer ten tips that help me when faced with weighty decisions.

1. Weigh the pros and cons. Make a list. Jot them down. But remember, not all pros and cons are equal.

2. Prayer is important. If you aren't already doing that I'm not sure anything else on this list will help you. Remember, God is your Heavenly Father. Talking to Him about your choices should be like asking your earthly father, or someone you love and respect, for advice.

3. Get counsel. Not a lawyer (unless the situation calls for it). A key individual or small group of intelligent people you trust. Find someone that has faced a similar decision before. It's generally a good idea to ask people older than you if you don't have a lot of life experience. (If you're in college or younger, chances are you don't have a lot of life experience.)

4. What does the Bible say about it? Chances are that someone, somewhere, within those 31,103 verses faced a similar situation, if not the exact situation.

5. WWJD: "What would Jesus Do," it's a really old saying, but it's also a timeless litmus test for all believers that really can apply to every situation. Number 2 & 4 tend to make this one a lot easier.

6. Ask yourself what will help others. Is there an outcome that will greatly benefit others?

7. Ask yourself if it's selfish. It's ok to be selfish sometimes, but not every time, and certainly not to the point of self worship.

8. If this is a decision involving another party directly, such as in a job or relationship situation, ask them direct questions and get direct answers. Don't be fooled by noncommittal responses. Find out their expectations and make yours known.

9. Some people say not to trust your gut, I disagree. What most people call "gut feelings" I actually believe are promptings from the Holy Spirit. As Christians we believe that God made us, and He lives in our hearts. Why would we not trust that? Just remember, feelings and emotions are a speedometer not a steering wheel.

10. Find out what other people who were faced with a similar decision did. Robert Frost was a great writer, but he was also kind of an idiot. Sometimes the road is less travelled because bad things lie down that path.