Text- Proverbs 16:9 – “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps”
The higher you go in life, the more fatal your mistakes become. When you are high up the ladder, the consequences of your mistakes affect not just you, but also everyone joined to the ladder of your leadership.
That being the case, you must become more meticulous and tactful in your decision-making process as you move up the ladder in your spiritual, marital, career, academic, financial lives and so on.
So then, as much as your decisions today will determine your destiny tomorrow, your decisions today may also affect other people’s tomorrow – your family, your company, your nation, etc.
In the past few days we have spent considering this topic, we have been able to establish some few tools that are helpful in making the best decisions in life, namely:
1. Discernment
2. Discoveries
3. Disciplines
Another valuable tool in making the best decisions is DISCRETION.
Wise discretion is very important in making the best decisions in life. It was through discretion that Abigail was able to make the decision that saved the life of her husband, Nabal, and indeed her entire household (1 Samuel 25:4-35).
After Nabal provoked David to anger, she rode a donkey to meet David with provisions; whereas she applied much diplomacy and courtesy to pacify him.
You must realize that by giving supplies to David, against her husband’s wish and directives, Abigail acted in defiance to the culture and tradition of the time, where women were to do all things in subjection to their husbands.
It’s like “I ought to follow my husband’s directives, but again, I ought to preserve his life and my household” So she really needed a high grade of discretion to decide which direction to go; to reach the best decision possible.
If she was not discrete enough, she would have perished with Nabal, and David would have wiped out the entire household.
Dearly beloved, with wise discretion, you will be preserved from incautious decisions and actions that can ensnare you in all kinds of trouble. With wise discretion, you will make nothing short of the best decisions, even when they seem unconventional.
PRAYER
Father, baptize me with wise discretion. Help me to be tactful in decision-making, and keep me from incautious decisions and actions that can ensnare me in all kinds of trouble in Jesus Name.