Proverbs 29:4
“The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.”
Leaders of nations make serious decisions every day that will literally impact thousands of lives. One bad decision by a national leader can cause someone to lose their life. One bad decision by a country’s leader can change the course of a nation for good or bad. Needless to say, a leader of a country needs to make sure they make right decisions.
In the verse above, God says that a leader will establish his country by allowing judgment to make his decision. On the other hand, God says that a leader who allows gifts to influence his decision making will destroy his country. God is trying to show the importance of making decision by judgment. What does it mean to make a decision by judgment? God is teaching that you need to allow principles to guide your decision making. He is teaching that a leader of a country needs to have several principles set in place to guide them through their decision making process so they can make the right decisions.
I recently read a discussion by a member of President George W. Bush’s cabinet. In this discussion, this man was defending the intelligence of President Bush by telling about how they came about decisions. He said that President Bush would question the cabinet members and his advisors to help him in making his decisions. His cabinet members and advisors were the guides that helped him in making decisions as he led the United States. In essence, the information he received from the cabinet members and advisors were the principles that he followed in making decisions.
If it is important for the leader of a nation to make decisions by principle, then why would you think decisions about your life and the lives of those you influence are of any less importance? Yes, the realm of your decisions may not influence as many lives as the decision of a country’s leader, but your decisions directly impact you and your family for generations to come. It is critical to make sure every decision you make is one that is decided by principle.
The best time to establish your principles in decision making is when you are not under the pressure of making a decision. When God said that a king who “receiveth gifts” is a king who will destroy his nation, He was teaching that feelings will always lead you to a wrong decision. Your feelings are based on the emotion of the moment. Depending on whether that moment you are in is adverse or profitable will determine whether or not you do something. Just because something feels good or seems right doesn’t always make it a right decision. You must set your feelings aside and depend on your principles to guide you.
Friend, I encourage you to allow principles to guide you in your decision making. Sit down and literally write out the principles that will guide you through your decision making. Let those principles be guided by God’s Word. Then, when you are faced with a decision, if you will run to your principles and let them guide you, then you will find that making a decision will not be that difficult.