The Decision that rocked the world

On Thursday night, the landscape of professional basketball, perhaps professional sports, changed forever. Usually we see fireworks on the Fourth of July, but this year the Fireworks began on July 5 and continued with massive explosions last night at 9:20 p.m. eastern time as LeBron James said he was taking his talent to South Beach.

It was simultaneously one of the most interesting, exciting, self-indulgent, over-blown, ridiculous, and incredible moments in sports history. The idea of a mega team that features three incredibly talented players all in their prime taking less money to come together and win titles is intriguing. Just the though of an Easter Conference Finals match up featuring Miami and Orlando, or Miami and Boston, followed by a battle between Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA title is tantalizing.

But then there's the city of Cleveland, which had the wind evacuate from its sails at a record pace. The city didn't react to the news well. There was weaping, violence, and jersey burning galore. Then there was an unflattering, 14-page letter from Cavs owner Dan Gilbert that was less than classy.

I was glued to my television for hours Thursday night. It was like watching a riveting, award-winning film and a train wreck at the same time. With each speaker I seemed to change my mind about how I felt about the decision.

But no matter what, you have to say LeBron James made the decision he felt was best for him. He and the two other players are willing to take less money and willing to accept the scorn headed their way because they want to win. You can debate whether James made the right decision about which team gave him the best chance to win, but you can't debate about what is most important to him.

I was also interested to hear him say, at one point after many questions about the decision, that all he could do at the end of the day was do his best to please God and his family.

We all face decisions in our lives, and it can be hard to know what is right. But ultimately, all we can do is try to make a decision that honors God and keeps us on the path he set for us. This week we're talking about planning, and I thought this "decision" special arrived at the perfect time.

When we face tough decisions, there is a temptation to push ahead. But sometimes its good to take a beat, reflect on the on the options, listen to the advice of those who care about us, and pray for guidance. Others may not be able to understand your decision when it's made, but at least you'll have peace of mind when you follow the process.