Convenient

California state legislator Mary Hayashi of Hayward pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanor shoplifting. Police said she had walked out of a Neiman Marcus store in October with over $2,400 worth of unpaid-for merchandise, caused, said her lawyer, by a benign brain tumor that might have affected her decision-making. (Miraculously, and just in time for the legislative session, the tumor, said the lawyer, is “no longer affecting her concentration or her judgment.”) [KPIX-TV (San Francisco), 1-6-2012]

Convenient, isn’t it! I mean, what a great excuse for stealing, “I have a tumor that affects my decision making abilities.” Of course even more convenient is that fact that when it comes time for this woman to make important decisions the tumor no longer affects her. Get real!

While such an excuse may be allowed in a court of law, as a means of justifying ones actions, such will not be accepted by God. After all God is the creator and sustainer of life, He knows what affects your ability to make decisions and guess what, it’s usually not a tumor! In fact, it’s usually ones own inability to apply wisdom to reason that causes poor decisions to be made.

Reminds me of King Saul (1 Samuel 15) when told to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites (v.2-3) and he came back having spared the King of the Amalekites and the best of the livestock (v.9); and the Lord was greatly displeased by these events and by Saul disobeying His commandments (v.11). And Samuel, being angry, goes to speak to Saul about the things that had come to pass and Saul might as well have told Samuel, “Look, I got this tumor in my head and it affects my ability to make a good decision,” because what he said didn’t anymore justify his actions, “I have performed the commandment of the Lord,” “the people spared the best,” “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord.” No Saul, you didn’t! Samuel’s words, “…Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (v.22).

It’s convenient for us to make excuses for sinning against God. John says, “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4) and when I sin I break God’s law. And it doesn’t matter what excuse I bring before God, I am responsible for the decisions I make. If I choose to disobey God’s command to be baptized, to live a holy life, to study his Word, you name it, I have made that choice and therefore, it is I who am responsible to the consequences of that decision. For Saul his choice caused him to lose the kingdom (1 Samuel 15:26). What will our choices cost us?

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding… 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:2-3,5).