Conquering the enemy with Good Choices

I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 GOD'S WORD® Translation 

A Message from Anointed Messenger

I’ve already confessed to my love for Star Trek, especially The Next Generation. (There are lots of Star Trek quotes for fellow fans at the bottom of this post.) In one of my favorite episodes The Enemy, straight-laced security officer Lt. Worf is the only person on board the starship Enterprise that can save an injured Romulan’s life by donating some of his genetic material. If the Romulan dies it could trigger a war between Starfleet and the Romulans. The problem is the Romulans are enemies of Worf’s people – the Klingons. Romulans killed Worf’s parents, causing him to be orphaned as a child.

The Romulan spewed hate at Worf, and said he’d rather die than receive the transfusion. Worf’s shipmates tried to convince him to donate what the Romulan needed to live, but he refused.

For me the most poignant scene is when Captain Jean Luc Picard approaches Worf and asks him to save the Romulan’s life. Worf is stubborn, but concedes that if Capt. Picard orders him to give the transfusion he will do it. Worf has the utmost respect for Capt. Picard, who is a man of great honor and integrity. Picard clarifies that he doesn’t want to order Worf, but he begs him to volunteer. In the end Worf chose vengeance, and allowed the Romulan to die.

I could see in Worf’s eyes that he didn’t want to deal with the gravity of his choice. He didn’t want to disappoint his beloved captain, nor be the trigger for intergalactic conflict. Part of Worf wanted Captain Picard to order him to do the right thing, but Captain Picard wanted him to choose to do the right thing.

Sometimes we want God to just tell us what to do, but God is giving us a choice. Love is about free will and making choices from the heart. Sometimes God is silent because the choices are already set before us. The choices we make reveal our priorities, determine who we are, and where we will go in life. It’s not always a matter of life or death, but of whether we will choose our own comfort over our love for God or others. It may be a matter of how much we are willing to sacrifice for our walk with Jesus. Or it may be a matter of taste and preference.

When we are babies, we rely on others to feed and clothe us. When we are children someone chooses for us until we are old enough to feed and dress ourselves. As adults we are well able to make these decisions — although some still make poor choices. As God’s children we will always depend upon our Heavenly Father; but our lives will be filled with choices we must make, and the consequences of those choices.

Heavenly Father
I am grateful that You do not try to control me out of fear, but compel me to make choices out of love and self-discipline. I thank You for wisdom, which allows me to make good choices. Help me know the difference between the times when I need to wait on You for instructions versus the times when You are waiting on me to make a decision. Give me courage to make the hard choices. Help me make choices that are pleasing to You, and that I will be pleased with later.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools
Romans 1:21-22 HCSB

QUOTES FROM STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION THE ENEMY

[Worf has refused to serve as donor for a seriously injured Romulan]
Doctor Beverly Crusher: Lieutenant, I understand your feelings about the Romulans, but this is not the time or the place... 

Lieutenant Worf: If you had seen them kill your parents, you would understand, Doctor. It is always the time and place for those feelings! 

Doctor Beverly Crusher: *This* Romulan didn't murder your parents. And you are the only one who can save his life. 

Lieutenant Worf: Then he will die.

--------------------

Lieutenant Worf: I am asked to give up the very lifeblood of my mother and my father to those who murdered them! 

Commander William T. Riker: So you blame all Romulans for that? 

Lieutenant Worf: Yes! 

Commander William T. Riker: Forever? What if someday, the Federation made peace with the Romulans? 

Lieutenant Worf: Impossible. 

Commander William T. Riker: That's what your people said a few years ago, about Humans. Think how many died on both sides in that war. Would you and I be here now like this, if we hadn't been able to let go of the anger and the blame? Where does it end, Worf? If that Romulan dies... does his family carry the bitterness on another generation?

--------------------

WORF: You wished to see me, Captain.

PICARD: Yes, Lieutenant. [a beat] I assume you know what this is about...

[Worf nods.]

PICARD:    The Romulan ship will reach us within the hour, Lieutenant. If our patient dies... it may be just the excuse the Romulan commander needs to start an incident. The death of a Romulan officer at the hands of the Federation! Think of it.

WORF:    I have, Captain.

PICARD:    [acknowledges] There is no question that this Romulan is more valuable to us alive than dead, Lieutenant.

WORF:    I understand.

[Picard chooses his next words carefully.]

PICARD: Sometimes the moral obligations of command are less than clear. I weigh the good of the many against the needs of the individual... and try to balance them as realistically as possible. God knows I don't always succeed.

WORF: I have not had cause to complain, Captain.

PICARD: [with appreciation] You wouldn't complain even if you had cause, Lieutenant.

WORF: If you order me to agree to the transfusion, I will, of course, obey.

[Picard turns to him.]

PICARD: I cannot order you. I will not order you, Lieutenant. But I ask you. I beg you to volunteer.

WORF: [a beat] I cannot, Captain.
       
PICARD: Lieutenant...

WORF: Sir?

[A long beat. Picard nods evenly.]

PICARD: Dismissed.

[Worf nods, EXITS. After a beat...]

PICARD: [keys insignia] Picard to Doctor Crusher.

BEVERLY'S COM VOICE: Go ahead.

PICARD: Do not continue to enlist Lieutenant Worf's assistance.

BEVERLY'S COM VOICE: I won't have to, Captain. The Romulan has died.