Eli, Esther, and the Difference of Decisiveness

Eli – An Example of Indecisiveness

Eli, Israel’s high priest and judge (1050 BC), incurred God’s judgment and caused painful consequences by indecisiveness in restraining his sons. Hophni and Phinehas were wicked priests with no regard for the Lord. They took their portions before offering temple sacrifices to the Lord; their sleeping with women was well known. They were so immoral people refused to attend services.

Eli lacked decisiveness: he didn’t address them with resolve, immediacy and wisdom. For knowing about their sins and not restraining them, the Lord brought judgment upon Eli: the priesthood dynasty would be removed from his family line, both sons would die the same day, and all his descendants would die in the prime of life.

Eli’s indecisiveness had other painful effects. It hurt his sons critically by not inhibiting their blaspheming of God and immoral living. These encouraged the people to sin by not participating in temple services, greatly diminishing the Lord’s power in their midst and impoverishing their spiritual life. Lack of His power then enabled Philestines to kill 34,000 Isrealite soldiers and Eli’s sons, and capture the Ark of the Covenant. This news then killed Eli.

The indecisiveness of just one man brought great pain and loss to many! [I Samuel 2:12 – 4:22]

Esther – An Example of Decisiveness

Esther was a Queen whose decisiveness saved Jews from annihilation. Xerxes, King of Persia 465 – 485 BC, didn’t know his beloved wife was Jewish. At that time most Jews in the world lived in Persia.

Mordecai, who had raised his orphan cousin Esther, served in the King’s court. Haman, top-ranking noble, was enraged that Mordecai would neither bow down nor honor him (Jews bow only to God). He convinced the King Jews were a disobedient people, and received permission to annihilate all in Persia.

Mordecai appealed to Esther to intercede with the King. This was risky, because anyone approaching the King unsummoned was killed, unless he chose to receive them. Yet “who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?”, reflected Mordecai (Esther 4:14). Despite the risk, Esther responded decisively. With immediacy and resoluteness she chose to do the right thing – to go to the King to request he save the Jewish people – “and if I perish I perish.” (Esther 4:16).

The King granted her request and spared all Jews in the Empire. To this day Jews celebrate the annual Feast of Purim, remembering their deliverance – thanks to the decisiveness of Esther.

Increase Corporate Decisiveness

Performance Driver stands out as having great effect on business success and profitability. It directly influences traits such as Assertiveness, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Morale, and Psychological Age. Indirectly it affects factors like Quality, Recruitment, Training, Vision, Zeal.

What is this performance enhancer? It is Decisiveness – wise, prompt, resolute decision-making. Study it and you will find that there is a direct, positive relationship between speed, importance, quality, commitment and the performance and success of organizations. Faster, quality decisions are related to increased performance. The more important the decisions made, the more impact on the performance and success of the organization. The greater the commitment to implementation, the greater the overall success.

When an organization is small, the decisiveness of the Director or CEO can be that of the organization. But as it grows, that is no longer enough. Beyond a certain size, no matter how decisive the Director or CEO, a strong positive relationship with performance does not result unless the management team is making these decisions and commitments decisively. Decisiveness is the surest way to improved performance. Of all the improvement programs, it is the fastest and most reliable, and it delivers the greatest results.

Do it!

Just Be Decisive

We all agree that it’s good to be decisive – wise, prompt and resolute in making decisions. Decisiveness is a strength. Indecisiveness is a weakness. Throughout history the difference has been underscored:

“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision. ”

William James

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”

Theodore Roosevelt

“Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing is so futile.”

Bertrand Russell

If we think about it, the good life is about living large, about expressing the joy and love of life. It’s about song, exuberance, and “going for it”. Success depends on the courage to act, and courage in turn requires a level of faith that every opportunity acted upon will lead to more and better ways to serve, learn, grow and prosper. Life requires decisiveness, action, and boldness.

Perhaps it might help us all if we followed the advice of Yoda (in The Empire Strikes Back). “Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.”

Matthew Follows Jesus

Jesus’ disciple, Matthew, practiced decisiveness in following Jesus.  Before Jesus called him to be a disciple, Matthew was a tax collector.  The Jews hated the tax collectors, most of whom were Jewish themselves.  Many felt the tax collectors had betrayed their nation by siding with the Roman government.  In addition, tax collectors typically charged three to four times the actual tax, taking in their own profit and gain.  They were shrewd, wealthy people.

Matthew was one of the hated.

After healing a paralytic, Jesus came by Matthew and simply spoke, “Follow me.”  Time screeched to a halt as the Jews watched what would happen.  Matthew, sitting at his tax collector booth probably thought about all the money he was making and all he would lose by following Jesus.   Nevertheless, he did not hesitate.  His decision was quick and assertive.  The text records that Matthew simply “got up and followed him.”  No questions asked.  No second guessing.  Matthew decisively followed Jesus…leaving everything else behind.

(Text taken from Matthew 9.9 NIV)

The Indecisive Israelites Compared to Joshua’s Decisive Act

Joshua is most known for his bold decision to follow the Lord in Joshua 24.15.  The famous words state, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (NIV).  He was decisively committed to following Yahweh without wavering.

However, many stop reading instead of continuing on to see the contrast the author makes between Joshua and the Israelites.  He chose decisively to follow God; they wavered in their decision making.  Three times in chapter 24, Joshua told the Israelites to throw away the foreign gods and serve the Lord (14, 19-20, 23).  Each time they responded by saying they would serve the Lord, but never said they would throw away the foreign gods. 

Their indecisiveness eventually caught up with them.  By Judges 2.11, the Scriptures tell us they were already serving the Baals.  Their commitment lasted only one generation, because they did not resolutely decide to serve Yahweh during the time of Joshua.  Decisiveness requires action.  Joshua acted on his decision by not allowing the foreign gods in his household.  Israel reaped the results of their indecisiveness and ended up struggling for generations to come with their relationship to God.