choose life

"Choose life," Moses pleads on behalf of God, "Choose life."

It makes sense. Right? It should be a no brainer that we would choose those things that are good for us, those things that are God ordained. Walking in his way. Observing his commandments. Choose life. Of course.

And yet, inevitably we choose death. Each and every one of us. Yep, even me. We reject forgiveness and refuse to offer it. We harbor mistrust and lie, cheat, and steal our way ahead. We covet. We work ourselves like slaves. We forget the poor, the needy, the widow, the orphan, the sick, the imprisoned, the lonely, and the oppressed.

I'm trying, and often failing, to choose life more often. I think that's the charge of the disciple; always be striving for life. I think that is what Jesus is talking about when he suggests that we count the cost before following him. Because choosing life sometimes means choosing the harder part. It is a whole lot easier to wear blinders, get blitzed, and rock the party. It is hard to see the faces of the oppressed, to be sober, and to feel the pain in their eyes.

But that is life, messy as it is, and it is the choice that we are asked to make. Today, with God's help, I choose life. What do you choose?