Choose the Right

I was looking at my friend Trasi's status on Facebook last night, and became enamored with the simple statement she made.  "Today I chose church over studying. It feels good to CTR for no other reason than that."

So simple, so heartfelt, and so Trasi.  Choosing the right, regardless of what other forces may be presented to us, is not always an easy task.  It is sometimes easier to do the opposite because the opposite always seems to involve far less time, far less interaction.  Yet, as any shortcut proves, it is not as worth the reward at the end of the day as if we only chose to do a job well done than a half shot we sometimes would prefer to offer.

In a world that offers plenty of distractions, many different routes that provide options to do something we probably shouldn't, and always offers up many excuses for our actions, what does it look like to choose the right?  What does that mean in today's world?

Does that mean we forgo gossip when someone is willing to share it so easily?  Does that mean we must lock ourselves in our homes, not letting outside forces of the world to enter in? Does that mean we sacrifice what others would consider happiness for our own brand of happiness that we understand to be of a higher calling?

In choosing the right, we must determine what that means.  There are obvious 'rightness' we are all aware of based on morality and consequences that befall the opposite.  For example, we understand by the morals of the land, and consequences of others, killing someone is not right.  We also know that stealing is not right, harming others is not right, and so on. 

But what about when making a decision that does not favor us, but is better for all involved.  How easy is it to make a decision if someone else's life hangs in the balance, along with our own.  What if we are faced with making a decision that will be painful, but it is the right decision?  A decision where we must place as much prayer and thought into our actions to do the right thing as much as our intentions and reflections of our hearts. What does it mean when we are forced with a decision that effects others around us, and how their lives will forever change?  What about those decisions that alter your state of being, state of spirit, and state of purpose?  "For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke." -Psalm 66:17. 

Choosing the right is much more than making sure you are following the law of the land, the law offered by religious practice, or by the mind set of men.  It is the ability to choose the right within our hearts, within our spirit, and within our soul.  If basing this off faith and that of a religious belief, we are not promised that in doing the right we will have instant happiness.  If that were true, everyone would always do what is right.  We are, however, promised blessings based on those tough decisions.  What seems like a decision we do not want to make at one moment in our life turns to be a decision we are able to look back on, and offer praise and thanksgiving for.  Choosing the right is not for the immediate needs or goals.  It is for the everlasting desires and dreams we all have.  The desire to have a happy life, the desire to be surrounded by joy, and the dream for those we love to also be surrounded with joy.