This is a story of two choices. Saturday morning, 6:30 a.m. one man, 55 reading God’s word, seeking clarity, direction, and discernment about the future from God. The other man sitting across the way, 75, reading the newspaper wondering what is happening in the world – war, terrorism, deflation, unrest, weather crisis, bad news fills his soul.
The 55-year-old man sees the next 25 years clearly as if he has double vision. He has to make a choice today about his future. He has to choose either fear or faith. He chooses to live a life of gratitude. The 75-year-old man’s future is already decided by his choice of fear, worry, concern, desperation that it’s over. It’s not worth the fight. He has lost all his hope.
The 55-year-old man senses God pulling back the curtain of his life and giving him a sneak preview of a picture of his life before him. The 75-year-old man’s future is now his life. He is trapped in his own choices, habits, and his associations. He is bound by his overriding choices over his lifetime. He has a yearning to change. He gets a glimpse of what could be but won’t be. He is trapped in his own free will not to live out his God-given mission in his life. He awaits the certainty of death and is waiting for the other shoe to drop. His thoughts, choices actions, beliefs, and attitudes have full control over his life and death.
The 55-year-old man sits in Starbucks and wonders why God has spoken to him today in this way. What is God saying? How will I respond? What choices will I make today. Will I have the courage to follow my God-given mission? Did God show me this out of his amazing love for me? What is my response to God? What does my 75-year-old life look like? Will I finish strong in my God-given mission? Will my life be ruled by faith, love, and hope at 75? How can I assure this outcome today, tomorrow and 25 years from now? What will guide me? Who will guide me? How can I ever forget this gift?
The story of two men, two choices, 75 and 55 sitting in a Starbucks on a Saturday morning.
Where are your choices taking you?