The Challenge of Choice

Alan Axelrod in his book, Profiles in Audacity, speaks of the Rubicon River that is located in northern Italy. It is in no way an imposing river, but when Julius Caesar stood on its bank in 49 B.C. it represented a choice. He could cross it, which in all likelihood would result in civil war. But not to cross would sooner or later result in calamity for Rome. “Inaction would perpetuate a peace that had been dictated by a fatally misgoverned Rome.” The Rubicon provided apparent safety on one side, and to cross it would surely result in struggle with no guaranteed outcome.

The Rubicon represents choice. It is the choice between doing life as we have, or crossing over into the realm of change. It is the choice of maintaining structure for our security, or revamping to become a more vibrant individual. The Rubicon may not look ominous, but it is huge in its challenges. The one thing we must recognize is that inactivity is not the safety net it appears.

We all have our Rubicon. We stand on the bank peering to the other side, wondering if it’s worth wading through, or crossing over? I want to say it is. Yet in the same expression is the fear of what truly lies there! It is both scary and exhilarating.

A Rubicon is a choice. It is a willingness to cross over into genuine life-change. It is crossing over the Rubicon of self-indulgence to investing self in life. It is crossing over the Rubicon of pursued success to purposeful significance.

The Rubicon of complacency must be crossed. We need to be audacious. We need to make the difficult choices and take personal responsibility. We need to step into the God Gap...the place where we connected with God.