From My Perspective - - -

What one thing dominates the landscape of our lives? Are we robotic and/or habit driven, or do we have goals and objectives as part of a life-plan? Have we become avant-garde in terms of how we approach life and its consequences? One meaning for avant-garde is: “a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm, or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. The notion of the existence of the avant-garde is considered by some to be a hallmark of modernism, as distinct from postmodernism. Postmodernism posits that the age of the constant pushing of boundaries is no longer with us.” If not avant-garde, have we become ambivalent? Ambivalence is: “uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things. In Psychology: the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing him or her in opposite directions.”

When one faces obvious choices, a Decision must be made. A Choice necessitates a decision! Last week (09-27-10), The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled: “Why So Many People Can't Make Decisions.” The article states the following: “Some people meet, fall in love and get married right away. Others can spend hours in the sock aisle at the department store, weighing the pros and cons of buying a pair of wool argyles instead of cotton striped. Seeing the world as black and white, in which choices seem clear, or shades of gray can affect people's path in life, from jobs and relationships to which political candidate they vote for, researchers say. People who often have conflicting feelings about situations—the shades-of-gray thinkers—have more of what psychologists call ambivalence, while those who tend toward unequivocal views have less ambivalence. High ambivalence may be useful in some situations, and low ambivalence in others, researchers say. And although people don't fall neatly into one camp or the other, in general, individuals who tend toward ambivalence do so fairly consistently across different areas of their lives.”

The article presents the distinction in decision-making in the following comparison:

People Who See The World As Black And White Tend To...

  • Speak their mind or make quick decisions.
  • Be more predictable in making decisions (e.g., who they vote for).
  • Be less anxious about making wrong choices.
  • Have relationship conflicts that are less drawn out.
  • Be less likely to consider others' points of view.

People Who See The World In Shades Of Gray Tend To...

  • Procrastinate or avoid making decisions if possible.
  • Feel more regret after making decisions.
  • Be thoughtful about making the right choice.
  • Stay longer in unhappy relationships.
  • Appreciate multiple points of view.

As the Children of Israel saw their entry into The Promised Land, The Lord declared to them – Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NLT Selected) – “Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands…If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the Lord your God will bless you…But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen…then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed…Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses…Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." An obvious choice and decision – what would you choose? What would your decision be? Prayerfully make the right, wise, best decision that squares with God’s plan and will for your life. Consider these things with me!