A Persian General had a peculiar way of dealing with his soldiers who had been condemned to die before the firing squad. Just prior to their execution, he would call them in before him and give them a choice. He would ask the condemned to choose between facing the firing squad or going through the black door. On one occasion, the condemned man was one of his own officers who had been caught spying for the enemy. He summoned the man into his presence and asked him the question: ”Do you want to go before the firing squad or pass through the black door?” The condemned man hesitated for a short time and then chose the firing squad.

A short time later, shots rang out in the courtyard of the prison signifying that the grim sentence had been carried out. One of his top aides observed the General’s reaction as he heard the shots. The General sighed and said, ”They invariably choose the firing squad. It seems that men prefer the known to the unknown even when the known means death.” ”What is beyond the black door, sir?” asked the aide of his commanding officer. ”Freedom!” was the reply of the General. He went on to add, ”Few men are brave enough to choose it, even though they know that the firing squad is certain death.”

Paul tells us that ”the things which are seen are temporal while the things which are not seen are eternal.” Almost everyone chooses the things that they can see and their choice also ends in their death. It takes faith, it takes courage, to choose the things that are not seen – the things which are eternal.

Moses pleaded with the children of Israel to make the right choice. He said, ”I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.”

History is a grim reminder of the fact that by the millions, these chosen people of God chose death. They could taste the leeks and the garlic. They could see the gods of wood and stone that those around them worshipped. On the other hand, no man has ever seen God. They chose what they could see. They chose death and they died.

All around us are the gods of this world. The temporal pleasures of this world are not only on every side, they can even be piped right into our homes in stereo and living color. They look attractive. They take up our time. They can be seen, felt and experienced right now. Out of sight is the crown of righteousness which is laid up for us. We know it is real, we know it is sure, but it is at present unseen. Which do we choose? By our actions, by the way we live, by the thoughts that run through our minds as we go about our daily tasks, we are answering the question as to what we choose.

We do get that which we choose. The Persian soldier chose to face the firing squad and he perished in his choice. He could not see what was on the other side of the black door and he turned down the offer to go through it.

Only a few make the right choice. The fact that most choose what they can see and end up dead is no reason for us to make the same mistake. Let us choose the door. The kingdom is on the other side of the door and it is at present unseen. We have a choice to make. Life or death. Choose life. Remember Jesus said, ”I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.”