This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. – Deuteronomy 30:19

Today's Scripture Reading (March 18, 2025): Deuteronomy 30

Sixth Century B.C.E. philosopher Heraclitus wrote, "The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become." Little is known about this Pre-Socratic Philosopher. All that has survived to this day are fragments of a single work. Yet, we believe that he was critical of human society and deeply distrusted people. Going back to the content of the above quote, it seems that he thought that the significant people of power of his day had made negative choices that had formed their character. 

As I look at the current political situation, I see that there seems to be heightened importance placed on what is expedient. It is not that expediency hasn't always been part of the political landscape. However, in the past, some would always stand up and say, "This isn't right." Someone always seemed to make the hard decisions and what we might even label the moral choices. Those people don't seem to be present anymore. The party line and the expedient choice seem to reign. When we evaluate our politicians' character, part of that character's foundation is how often they make the hard decisions and have chosen what is right over what is expedient.

In Near East writings, we often find the witnesses are the gods who ruled over the nations involved. But Moses does not call on God and his angels, or even demons, to witness the covenant he is putting forth. Instead, he calls on creation to witness the promise. He tells Israel that they can choose life and live or what is expedient and struggle. But Moses stresses that the choice is theirs to make.  

I love Adam Clarke's (1762-1832) comment on this passage. "Man is accountable for his actions, because they are his; were he necessitated by fate, or sovereign constraint, they could not be his" (Adam Clarke, italics his). The idea is that we are culpable for our actions because we really do make the choice. If fate were even partially responsible, which seems to be in vogue in our current climate, then we could not be held accountable for what we do and, by extension, our character development. But that is not true. We are free to choose what we will do, whether we make the hard choices or expedient ones. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31