Good Idea, Bad Idea

For those of you unfortunate enough to not recognize the title of this blog, “Good Idea, Bad Idea” is from the television cartoon show “Animaniacs.” During each cartoon, there would be a section called “Good Idea, Bad Idea” in which an animated figure illustrates a “good” idea – something harmless and socially acceptable. The figure then immediately illustrates a “bad” idea – something completely illogical or dangerously stupid. I was reminded of these delightfully cultivating cartoon snippets as I was contemplating the subject of this next blog.

How do you know if an opportunity is from Satan or God? Or anything, for that matter – a thought, a lifestyle, a decision, etc. How do you know the difference between a GOOD idea and a BAD idea? This may seem like a no-brainer, but in some cases it really isn’t. Trust me.

Sure, it wouldn’t be that difficult, if God only offered us obvious “GOOD idea” type of opportunities (e.g., “Go on this mission trip and let me be a blessing to others through you”), and Satan only offered up opportunities that are very obviously BAD ideas (e.g., “ Go stick your finger in that electrical outlet for a beautiful, do it yourself, at-home perm!”).
Most of us know, however, that this is not how life works. Sometimes we are faced with decisions, or we are given opportunities, that are a little more ambiguous. Sometimes it’s a bit more tricky to decide if something is a good or bad idea. When you find that opportunity is knocking at your door, how do you know if it’s the gentle tapping of the Holy Spirit, or the persistent, misleading knock of Satan with his bag of tricks? That’s my million dollar question for the day, and now here’s my final answer.

First, I think you have to take a step back and consider a few things:

Peace. Do you feel peace about the situation? I use the word “feel” here carefully, because we cannot trust our feelings. But we can trust the peace that passes all understanding. The peace that comes from the Holy Spirit when we are headed in the right direction. We are told to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). God has given us peace and the Holy Spirit to be the umpire in our lives, telling us what should be in (“safe”) and what should be out (well… “out”).

God’s character. Before you make the decision you’re thinking of making, or the opportunity you’re thinking of taking, ask yourself if it is in line with God’s character, and with his word. Some of his character traits include faithfulness, honesty, loyalty, truthfulness, patience, and selflessness. If you look closely enough, you can see what fits in with God’s character, and what doesn’t. If you sense a calling to become a highly motivated and successful thief, you can be pretty certain it’s not a calling from God, because stealing from others is not in line with God’s honest, selfless character. That’s an obvious one, I know. You should not only look at God’s character, but take a look at your own as well. Consider yourself and how God made you – your interests, talents, abilities. More often than not God leads us into things that fit in with how we were made and what we’re good at.

God’s voice. This one takes some practice. Get to know God’s voice so well that you immediately distinguish it from any other. As sheep, we ought to recognize our Shepherd’s voice. We should develop such a sensitive ear to it that, even when we’re cruising along the path we think we’re supposed to be on, we are able to slam on the brakes and make a U-turn if that’s what we’re told to do. There is nothing wrong with coming up with a plan, but be ready to ditch that plan if God tells you to. Proverbs 16:9 says “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Finally, you just have to take a step. Sometimes the only way to know if something is the right choice is to just start moving. Take a step in that direction, and see what happens. A door may be slammed in your face. You may lose your peace. Or you may find that your peace increases exponentially, and doors open for you in ways you never thought possible. You can’t drive a parked car. Think about how hard it is to steer the wheel of a car that’s sitting still, compared to when it’s moving. Get up and get going. Give it a shot and find out . There’s no point sitting around wondering about something when you could just give it a try and know for yourself. And I’m mostly talking to myself with this one…