The Freedom Of Choice
Should Be Guarded
With Deliberation
Because choice isn’t absolute, because some choices can be hurtful, because wrong choices can retard growth, because the number of choices we have is always reduced by making only one, and they are reduced even more when we make poor choices, we must approach choice-making cautiously, deliberately and judiciously.
The following guidelines are offered to inform the deliberative process:
Don’t Run From Every Storm
It might be wise to run occasionally but life is stormy. Avoiding all storms entirely isn’t possible unless you’re happy to live an entire lifetime with your head in the sand.
Storms of the less fatal kind enable us to develop insight, skill and character that otherwise would lay dormant. Trees are a good example. They don’t have the option to run from storms and consequently develop beauty and individuality that make them special.
Don’t Be Everyone’s Friend
Friends are great but they do take time. There is a cost involved.
They are affirming emotionally on some occasions and emotionally draining on others, but there should be a balance. That’s the nature of friendship.
Be friendly with everyone but pick your true friends carefully. You can only afford to have a few.
Don’t Pursue Every Interesting Hobby
Hobbies require an investment of both time and money. Even if your finances are unlimited you are still restricted by time. Time is the most limiting factor. We all have the same amount.
Hobbies should be fulfilling. The ones visited infrequently or rarely are sinkholes, not hobbies.
Trying several hobbies to see which one you like, before investing a lot of money is fair, but eventually you must settle on one or possibly two if you wish to develop proficiency.
Don’t Be A Universal Professional
Some people know everything, which means they know nothing significant about anything.
They know some law but not enough to be a lawyer. They know some medicine but not enough to be a doctor.
These know-alls enjoy watching and spouting off about sports but know very little about how to play the game. They may be entertaining but a long way from informing.
Choose your area of expertise carefully and focus on it. When you don’t know something, admit it. When you aren’t sure, say so. When you need advice, seek it.
Focus is the key to becoming respected, but focus is limiting.
Don’t Approach Choice Frivolously
God loves choice and has given us unlimited options knowing that we can entertain only a few. Which means, of course, that choice is His tool for teaching us discipline.
Choice-making isn’t a free for all. Your life is enriched or depleted with every choice you make so make them carefully.
THINK!AboutIt
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