After committing a moral failure, a good man will make impact with reality. He will suddenly become aware that he has failed. At that moment, he has options.
Note: This article is in a series called Two Roads. Previous articles are always available at http://www.webbweekly.com.
The first option is to openly confess the failure. Here is what Achan heard after he stole the plunder from Jericho and hid it in his tent,
That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. Joshua 7:12
As soon as Achan heard those words, he had a choice to make. He could confess what he had done and return the plunder, or he could continue hiding it. Those were his options, and he quickly weighed the pros and cons of each.
First, no one knew he had the plunder under his tent. Why on earth would he confess to taking and hiding it when no one was aware of it? If he just kept quiet, in time, all would be forgotten.
Second, if he confessed and returned the plunder, he would likely be held liable for the lives of the warriors killed needlessly in the battle for Ai. Since that would have been grounds for execution, that option made no sense to him at all. On the other hand, confession could result in mercy. Considering the circumstances, he assumed mercy was highly unlikely. Confession seemed too risky.
After considering his options, he chose to keep the plunder hidden. It was a fateful choice, not just for Achan but also for his family. It is likely that confession would have led to severe consequences for Achan, but keeping the plunder hidden led to unintended and destructive fallout for his entire family. Men, when we choose the wrong option, our families suffer.
Hear this: our choices will either give life to our families, or they will take life from them. The stakes are high.
An option is something that may or may not be chosen.
Choosing between options is easiest when you are faced with a win-lose situation. A win-lose situation means that one option is much more appealing than the other. For me, if the dinner options are liver or steak, my choice is easy—I’ll have the steak, please.
Choosing between options is a bit more difficult when facing a win-win situation. A win-win simply means that all options are good. Most of us face this struggle when we look at a restaurant menu. When you’re hungry, everything on the menu looks good. How do you choose just one entree? Once a selection is made, how can you be certain you made the right choice? The steak is very good, but maybe the smoked ribs would have been better? A win-win option is more difficult, but you win either way, so it’s all good.
Choosing between options is most difficult when facing a lose-lose situation. A lose-lose simply means that all available options are undesirable. If the options are liver or oysters, I’m in trouble. The saying, pick your poison, applies when you are faced with a lose-lose.
Achan believed he was in a lose-lose situation. Confession was very risky and almost certainly would result in heavy consequences. Keeping the plunder hidden was also risky, but since no one knew he had it hidden under his tent, at least he had a chance of getting away with it.
We always have options; we always have choices to make. Those choices carry potential consequences for us and fallout for others.
There are also options that lead to the blessings of obedience, honor, and peace. God has promised that in every tempting situation, there will always be a good option available,
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. I Corinthians 10:13
Even after failure, there is always a good option available. It is called confession.
Have you ever wondered what would have happened had Adam run naked to God and, fell on his face and confessed eating the forbidden fruit? It was an option, but since he didn’t choose it, we’ll never know how full confession could have changed the story.
What about David? Would his story have been different had he immediately confessed his adultery to God and Uriah? It was an option. Had he chosen it, Uriah would have remained alive and married to Bathsheba, and the baby would have lived. David, while still being an adulterer, would not have become a murderer. The option David chose made everything worse.
We will never know how these stories would have unfolded if the option of confession had been chosen. What we do know is this: confession puts us and our families on the road to life, and the sooner we choose that option, the better for everyone.
Is there something you’re hiding? Are you ready to confess? Start with God. Tell Him what you’ve done. He already knows. Ask Him for forgiveness and receive His mercy and grace. Then, ask God for wisdom and guidance for what comes next. It is also wise to seek the guidance of a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor before sharing your confession with others. Blurting out confessions to the wrong people at the wrong time or in the wrong place can do more damage than good. Today is a great day to choose the option of confession.
