I’m at a crossroads. What no one tells you is that crossroads are often littered with shards of glass, and you’re traveling barefoot.

Challenging is an understatement. Downright painful is a better descriptor.

I suspect many Christians choose to trust God in the silence and take a step to the left or right. Me? I tend to plop myself down among the shards, fearful of making a move. Worried I’ll get hurt, no matter which path I take.

But making no choice may be worse than choosing the wrong choice. There’s no forward motion. That can be disastrous when God is calling you to move.

In Matthew 25:14–30, the master left three servants in charge of one, two, or five talents (a type of money) and leaves. The servant with five talents went to work and doubled the master’s money. The servant with two also doubled his money. This pleased the master and he told each, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He then rewarded those servants with more.

The servant with one talent did nothing with the money except bury it. In verse 25, the servant confesses he was afraid to act. At the heart of the matter was fear.

The servant stood at a crossroads … and sat down. By refusing to choose, he still chose. Only it was a choice that displeased God, because the servant picked fear over faith.

God can’t work with someone who won’t be worked with. The Scriptures label this kind of behavior “lazy” and “worthless” (Matthew 25:26, 30). I’ve long heard God called a gentleman — He won’t force a crossroads sitter to stand. Grabbing the sitter by the armpits and hauling him down the path doesn’t jibe with God’s usual methods. I believe, much like in 1 Kings 19:11-13, He whispers.

In fact, I wonder when I’m sitting at the corner of “I don’t know what to do” and “What does God want from me” if He is whispering, “Come on, kiddo. Get up. Choose a path. Then trust Me.”

If my derriere stays put, I’ve still chosen. I’ve chosen to be frozen in fear. And God honors my choice. That whole free will thing.

We all want to be told, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” by the Lord — but the Lord doesn’t reward indecisiveness. He rewards faithfulness. The parable of the talents shows us that.

After examining the issue from every side, begging for wise counsel, seeking God, praying, reading my Bible — maybe it’s time to risk a little hurt, to guess at the path, and listen for the whisper.

Time to move.

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