Barry Cooper, director of product development at Christianity Explored Ministries and a part of the team planting Trinity West Church, wrote an article on the false God of endless options in the January/February 2013 edition of Christianity Today. In this piece he suggests that we have opportunities to choose from nearly endless options whether in life’s larger choices like choosing a college major or in everyday decisions like ordering at Starbucks. As a result many people have become slow to commit. Cooper writes:
We worship the god of open options. And he is killing us. He kills our relationships, because he tells us it’s better not to become too involved. He kills our service to others because he tells us it might be better to keep our weekends to ourselves. He kills our giving because he tells us there are uncertain financial times and you never know when you might need that money. He kills our joy in Christ because he tells us it’s better off not to be thought of as too spiritual (p.54).
So What?
Following the way of Jesus is a lifelong journey that shapes each follower’s understanding and requires no other gods are worshiped in place of or over the Still Speaking God. In the every dayness of life, among so many choices it is necessary to be intentional about reaffirming the centrality of one’s decision to follow the way of Jesus. How do you avoid falling for the god of open options?