Radiant "Right" Choices

Ravishing. Luminescent. Radiant. All words that attempt to convey not only what our eyes detect, but also what our heart may give witness to in another person. For some people this emanating beauty is fleeting, but for others it seems only to grow in intensity and duration. Some of the people I’ve known this to be the most true of have had far from the “perfect” life; in fact, the opposite would be a much more accurate portrayal of all they’ve endured. So if life isn’t perfect, if many things are even going wrong, how in the world can anyone shine with a light that puts the stars themselves to shame?

For every encounter in our life, we have a wide selection of responses from which to choose. Some days it is easier than others to make the “right” choice. And it would seem in my life that there is a mathematical correlation between the number of things that go wrong and the increasing challenge to then make (and continue to make) right choices. In fact, I would say that the formula graphed would resemble that of exponential growth. It is not a line with a gentle, consistent slope up and to the right. Nope. It kind of starts off that way, but then BLAST OFF! It explodes off the top of the graph like a rocket headed for the heavens! Unfortunately, if my choices are poor (and continue to be such), that dramatic line takes a horrific turn in the other direction at an identical rate. Only the destination changes. Rather than being headed off the top of the chart and headed for the heavens, well, we instead are headed for a personal hell, quite literally, of our own making. It was our personal choices that led us to this exact point.

But here is the further reality. We each have it within us, whatever our choices have been to date, to make the next right choice. Have you already screwed up 10 times? Today? This morning? Worse? Good news! To correct the direction and final destination of this line is as simple as making the next right choice, whatever it may be. The voices in your head may try and convince you this is far too simplistic, but I’m here to tell you it is not! I’ve seen this true in my life more times than I care to count. And I won’t even try to count it because, frankly, it would be horribly embarrassing.

So how then do we proceed? How do we even know how to make the next “right” choice? I think we first have to be able to identify what a right choice is. And what it is for today’s situation. You see, what was “right” in yesterday’s context may no longer be relevant today. I’m not talking about eternal Truth, that never changes, I’m talking about how to handle nitty gritty daily life. Is it a time for birth or a time for death? Is it a time to plant or a time to uproot? To kill or to heal? To tear down or to build? To weep or to laugh? To mourn or to dance? To scatter stones or to gather them together? To embrace or to refrain from embracing? To search or to give up? To keep or to throw away? To tear or to mend? To be silent or to speak? To love or to hate? A time for war or for peace? (As listed in Ecclesiastes 3) All are viable options, so how then do we know?!?

We begin by knowing the word of God.  Psalm 19:7-8 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”

God’s word absolutely provides refreshment for our soul, quenching spiritual thirsts from deep waters that flow directly from God’s throne. In receiving this refreshment, it even extinguishes how we might falsely seek to fulfill these thirsts in the physical realm that can really only truly be satiated spiritually. Thank God that He allows us to be made wise! We see things with such simple, physically oriented eyes, but as God instills His wisdom, we see the same situations through new, spiritual eyes. If we now respond in light of the spiritual insights given, our heart is then filled with joy. Saying “yes” to how God would have us to respond then makes us absolutely radiant. He not only gives light to our eyes, allowing us to see into the spirit realm of things, seeing past the physical world, but He also fills us with His light that actually shines from within us, often through our eyes. We become ravishing.

There was a time in my life when I thought this was all it would take, perfect knowledge of the Bible, to get these things right. But I’ve been challenged as I’ve moved through more of life to recognize that God’s word alone doesn’t tell me how to respond daily. Ecclesiastes 3 paints the two end points for each of several continuums, but there are an infinite number of places to land along each of those continuums. My heart sincerely wants to bring glory to God by successfully navigating today’s challenge, but how in the world can I with these infinite numbers of choices?

“Those who look to Him are radiant, their face is never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5

God’s word and our response of obedience makes us radiant, but so does time spent in His presence. You see, rhema, Hebrew for word, isn’t just the written word, it is also the spoken word; the word we can receive through the Holy Spirit actively guiding our lives.

Exodus 34:29-35

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

Moses spoke with the Lord and was radiant, just as knowing God’s laws and precepts also makes us to be radiant.  In fact, he was so radiant, others couldn’t look at him and were even afraid of him! Moses was so radiant he had to wear a veil so he didn’t freak everyone out! Kind of sounds like a sci-fi episode of an alien encounter! God is “other”, so perhaps this is a legitimate comparison.

But seriously, I am convinced that the only way we can know what the “right” response will be in today’s situation is for us to have spent time in God’s presence, listening to how He is guiding. The solution to yesterday’s struggle, even if it is identical in appearance to my physical eyes, may not be the response that would be deemed “right” today. We must stay tightly tethered to God, able to detect the nuances of His Spirit moving within me. Is it time to speak or time to be silent? He alone knows the hearts of the other people around us and what will be most advantageous for the furthering of His kingdom in this exchange.

To remain tethered to God in the ascent of life is of upmost importance. As He belays us from above, He is our anchor and all of our security resides in Him alone. It is fairly obvious that “free” climbing without any anchor is a high risk activity that can result in an injury and even death. What is less obvious is that there is an equal amount of danger if we have anchored, but have then become negligent and allowed any amount of slack in the rope, any disconnect from Him as we continue up the rock face of life. If slack in the rope is tolerated and we even briefly lose our footing, we also risk injury or death as the slack allows us to be slammed against the throes of that rock face. Maintaining steady contact via the rope offers protection from such an event. As we maintain consistent contact, a slip is only a minor setback as opposed to a catastrophic event. And so it is with our connection to God Himself, as we diligently seek to remain connected to Him.

So as we learn to remain connected to Him and from that place to then interact with others around us, we begin the eternal work of preparing this land to radiantly reflect His glory. Ezekiel 43:2 says, “And I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.” My right choices are capable not only of making me radiant, but also the places I am inhabiting. It all is capable of pulsating with a golden, spiritual, luminescent glow as His Spirit takes up residence and drives the darkness increasingly away.

So how do I make the next right choice? I not only know the word of God, I also have a relationship with Christ himself. Then, I learn to walk in right relationship, listening and communicating, not just following a list of rules. As I listen, live, move and have my being in Him, His words to me will never contradict that list of rules, but He will give me precise and intricate responses that most effectively further His kingdom’s glory. He will reveal to which end of the continuum I need to move and even how far.

Ephesians 5:25b-26 says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” As I learn to walk in perfected response to His promptings, I more fully become His bride; His church that is without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. Because of Him I am capable of being both holy and blameless. Radiant. Luminescent. Ravishing.

Philippians 2:12-17

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.