Joshua 9:6
“And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.”
There are some invaluable lessons that we can learn about decision making from Joshua’s dealings with the inhabitants of Gibeon. This city heard what the LORD had done for Israel at the Red Sea. They were told how the LORD parted the Jordan River. They saw the remains of Jericho, the strongest city of their day. With a fear that they would be next, the men of Gibeon contrived a plan to deceive Israel into thinking they were from a far country. They put on old clothes, carried empty bottles and moldy bread to meet Joshua so they could enact a treaty between the two. Their plan worked, and they deceitfully got Joshua and the men of Israel to make a league with them so that they would not be killed. In this story there are five invaluable lessons you can learn to help you with making decisions.
First, never make a decision without prayer. Joshua never asked God one time if they should make a league with these men. Had he prayed, God certainly would have revealed the deceit of these men. It is so easy to think you know what it right that you don’t pray to ask God’s mind. Never be so confident in yourself that you don’t ask God for His mind on a decision. It doesn’t matter how small the decision may be, you need God’s mind with it. Small decisions carry large ramifications, so never make any decision without prayer.
Second, don’t depend on your perception. Joshua and the men of Israel looked at the bottles and bread and thought they were telling the truth. Many bad decisions have been made based off perception. What you see may not always be true. Certainly, you should take what you see into account, but don’t let your perception be the only factor in your decision making.
Third, listen to your gut. One of the first questions the men of Israel asked was, “Peradventure ye dwell among us…?” This was their gut instinct telling them that what they saw was not true. There are going to be times when your gut tells you not to do something. When that happens, you need to listen because God is using your gut instinct to help you in making the right decision.
Fourth, research your decision. Joshua and the men of Israel never investigated the validity of what they said and that came back to bite them. Whenever you make a decision, give yourself time to research the matter so that you can make a decision based off facts and not feeling.
Fifth, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Joshua and the men of Israel knew this story sounded far-fetched, and they should have responded accordingly. We oftentimes think that we are going to be the exception to the rule but rarely, if ever, are we that exception. When a decision you’re making sounds too good to be true, unless you have proof that refutes it, don’t fall for the deceipt. You are going to be safer making decisions based off facts than you will off feelings.
You are only one decision away from making a tragic decision. Let these five invaluable lessons be a guide with every decision. It is always better to be deliberate in your decision making than to rush into a decision and regret its implications for months and years to come.