CONSEQUENCES ALWAYS FOLLOW DECISIONS
As parents, we try to instill in our children that there are consequences for their actions. It is good to be reminded that we ourselves are subject to the same following the decisions we make.
We make many decisions every day, mostly minor ones involving our daily routine – what to wear, the best time to leave for work, how to plan our day, and so many others. But at some point we are faced with the major ones, the consequences of which can be life altering, like moving a family for a job, recognizing that age and deteriorating health may require more assistance than we have been previously ready to admit, whether or not a parent is called to endure the pain of enforcing “tough love,” and again, many more. We are all, at some point in our lives, also forced to make moral decisions, those that may not only be life altering, but the ramifications of which can stretch into eternity. In today’s word we are faced with a constant barrage of moral issues, unthinkable issues only a few short years ago, but now requiring all of the resources of our Christian faith to help us decide the answer to the question “What would Jesus do?”
Our decisions should be made in keeping with God’s laws and His plans for our lives, as the consequences of going against God’s will could result in regret and remorse for years to come. But how do we “know” God’s plans for us? Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Do we pay attention to a thought that comes into our minds seemingly from nowhere, or an uneasiness about a path we are about to take, or a sense of peace after a decision is made? Boundaries and rules, as given to us from God, are really the keys to freedom. As Ayn Rand wrote, “Man is a being with free will; therefore each man is potentially good or evil, and it’s up to him and only him (through his reasoning mind) to decide which he wants to be.” I would add his “informed conscience” to his “reasoning mind.”
As Catholic Christians, we also have the comfort of the words of Zechariah if our choice has not been in keeping with God’s law, “Therefore say to them, thus declares the Lord of Hosts: ‘Return to Me…and I will return to you…’ ” (Zech 1:3)
Submitted by Marguerite Mullins