I was a young man in my late teens. I believed I knew it all. We called it “bullet proof”. My parents gave me a wide range of freedom to make decisions. They taught me right – wrong and they lived out those principles. My dad taught me so much. As a farmer, his ways were very unique. His lessons have lasted a lifetime.

It was early morning as I slipped into the house, thinking everyone was still asleep. As I eased into the bed, I heard their alarm clock go off. I remember thinking, “Oh my this is going to be a bad day!” I acted like I had been sleeping when mom came into “wake me up”. As dad drove to the farm, he never said a word about what time I came home but…as he pulled up beside the large rice field he said, “I need you to close this field up. I’ll pick you up around noon” and drove off. That was 6 hours of shoveling mud, walking the flooded rice field…and watching for snakes. I learned my lesson that day. I learned to say “no” to bad choices.

This is what I call a Lab Project in God School: My “Chooser” had been calibrated for me and what I wanted. “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.” Prov 29:23

From God’s text, He tells us in Deuteronomy 5:29 “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!…32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

God repeatedly told us to calibrate our Chooser for Him. Jesus said it this way, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37

So, do your choices of time, money, and relationships point to God or you?