Decision-Making: All That Glitters Isn’t Gold

Yesterday’s post on godly decision-making coincided with a Bible reading on Abram and Lot, and I was reminded how easy it is to opt for what looks good rather than taking time to seek God in our decision-making.

Decision-Making: The Lust of the Eyes

The old saying, “All that glitters is not gold” is so true, yet we humans seem geared to follow what attracts our eye. (See 1 John 2:16.) Satan used this temptation against Jesus and Eve, so there’s no doubt he will also use it against us.

Decision-Making: Lot Chooses With His Eyes

Consider the following Bible passage:

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.

So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”

Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord. ~Genesis 13:1-13 (NASB)

As the oldest of the two, and Lot’s uncle, Abram had every right to choose first and leave the leftovers to Lot. Abram, a man of faith, was concerned about keeping a right relationship with God and man. In a humble and gracious move, Abram let Lot choose first.

In contrast, Lot was taken in by the fertile plains of the Jordan River valley, enticed by the glittering sparkle of city life and seeming prosperity. This proved to be a costly mistake. When we read Genesis 19, we see Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed because of their sin, with Lot and his two daughters escaping at the last minute.

Decision-Making: The Application For Us

Not everything that looks good and profitable IS good and profitable. In fact, if it glitters with golden possibility, it would behoove us to take a step back for the purpose of seeking God and His wisdom. It’s far more important to make decisions based on our relationships with God and our fellow man than it is to be taken in by mere appearances.

TO DISCUSS IN THE COMMENTS:

Can you think of another example where you, someone you know, or a Bible character was taken in by appearances rather than seeking God and His wisdom?
What are the possible consequences of making decisions based solely on appearances?

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Click to Tweet Please: Decisions made by the eyes carry consequences. Let’s chat at CatBryant.com/2014/03/27/decision-making-not-gold/ http://ctt.ec/iph5w

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