Would you rather?
“‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ …But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham… Do not lay a hand on the boy… Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’”
When was the last time a choice really cost you?
Chances are, you’ve never had to make a choice like Abraham.
But every choice is a sacrifice.
If you take one job offer, you’re not accepting others.
If you opt to challenge your boss in a meeting, you’re sacrificing what could happen if you remained silent.
If you choose to take on a task, you’re sacrificing the time and resources it will take to complete that task.
Abraham had the choice to protect his son but reject God, or to trust God but put his only son in harm’s way. Abraham went with the latter choice, and he seems to be strangely at peace throughout the whole story.
So, how do you decide, when every choice is a sacrifice?
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS FROM ABRAHAM
Know your long-term vision. In Abraham’s case, he knew the long-term plan was for him to have a ton of offspring, so he reasoned that even if he did sacrifice his son, God would bring him back. The beauty of a long-term vision is it gives you clarity in the short-term. When you have an important choice to make, run it up against your long-term vision. Ask yourself, “If my long-term vision is true, which choice is most aligned with that future reality?” This can be applied to any choice, whether in the realms of physical health, relationships, career, finances, or faith.
Surround yourself with people you trust implicitly. Have you ever noticed that everything is easier when you know you can trust someone? You don’t waste time second-guessing, you just trust and go. Abraham had a trusting relationship with God, so he was able to just trust and go whenever he got the command. Seek out people in your life whom you can trust implicitly. Then, do whatever it takes to protect those relationships.
