Hobson’s Choice

We often believe that we Americans have a great freedom of choice but truth be told we are not always free to make the choices we might like, because there are often restrictions that are out of our control. Success is usually a case of knowing when you can make a choice and when you can not.

I am reminded of a figure of speech that is called “Hobson’s Choice” that describes any situation for which there are no alternatives. T his comes from an eccentric livery stable owner named Hobson who lived in seventeenth-century England. Hobson insisted, as and unbreakable rule, that his customers seeking to rent a saddle horse from him must either take the animal who happened to be tethered nearest the door or take none at all. There is your choice take what is offered or walk. Sometimes it is better to walk than to take a runaway horse.

As Christians we will face many choices. Some of them will be wonderful and some will be difficult but the virtue of the Christian life is to find the goodness of God in whatever choice we are called on to make. What do we choose to let dominate our lives? We are ready to face our choices only when we are ready to look for the will of God in each decision. To pray over each choice to discover the goodness of God in all we do in His name.