Choice and Consequences

God has given us this thing that we call free will or choice.

We make thousands of choices each day. Most of them we make seemingly without even knowing. Like getting up to go to work is actually a choice. Brushing my teeth is a choice. Getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom is a choice. What I eat or drink is a choice. If I eat or drink is a choice. Even when we don't make a choice we actually do. We choose to not make a choice.

Some things we can't choose, like our parents, siblings, and extended families. (I however did get to choose my wife, whom I would choose again) We can't choose if we are male or female, we can't choose our hair or eye color. We can choose to change all these things but we can't choose them. But most things in life boil down to our choices.

As I have reflected on the many choices I have made in my life I began to realize a couple of things.

First, I have been able to choose to do or not to do many things, but I have never had the opportunity to choose the consequences of my choices. Think about that. I choose to eat the whole bag of chips, or to go outside without a coat or hat on, but I can't choose the results from that choice. I can choose to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or abuse drugs but I can't choose the consequences. If I could have seen beforehand the consequences of some of my choices, I believe I would have chosen differently. Wow! Am I continuing to make similar choices knowingly or unknowingly today that will lead to regrets tomorrow?

Secondly, I realize that when I make one choice there are many other choices that are already made for me. When I choose one thing it automatically eliminates many other choices. For example when I choose to honor my wife there are many other choices already made for me simply because I made that one choice.

This video is kind of a representation of part of my life. Metaphorically I made the decision to push the red truck. Then throughout my life there were consequences as a result of my choice to push that truck. Just like the video, the further in life I went the more destructive the results became. I definitely chose to push the truck but I certainly didn't choose the results. By making one choice there were several others made for me. Often there is a high price to pay. Even to this day I live with the consequences of my choices years ago. Was it worth the price? NO!




Then there is Jesus!

The Bible says in John 15:16 that He chose me! And as a consequence of him choosing me, he had to hang on a cross. He died on a cross because he chose me! That is the ultimate consequence to pay for a choice. Am I worth the price? I say NO! But his love for me says yes.

It is now my choice to live my life for him. By choosing Him many other choices are now made for me. By making new choices I begin to see blessings and new and good consequences. There are times when I still get slimed with the consequences of past decisions but I am thankful my Heavenly Father is faithful and continues to wash me clean through the blood of his Son. Over and over and over again.