Good or Great Choices

  As I was trying to fall of sleep the other night, I was dwelling on some advice that I often receive from my favorite baristas of don't fall, don't do drugs, don't get lost and make smart choices.  I am all for this advice, but if it leads to us living a sheltered life, something is not right.  Maybe with this advice along with an Aerosmith song title of Living on the Edge we can spice up our life and make life a little more interesting.

    The first one idea is that non of us like to fall, because it could make us look like a fool or that we hurt something and it will end up with expensive doctor bills.  As I  am consistently reminded that when we take risk in life we often are going to fall, skin our knees and get some bumps and bruises along the way.  Are we avoiding taking life's risk because we are afraid of the skinned knees and the bruises that we could get.  If we are unwilling to take a risk, why are we getting out of bed.  Admittedly, when we take a risk, there are people who are willing to call us crazy for attempting great or that is out of our comfort zone.  The risk we are willing to take and what we are willing to fail at, will it make a difference in the here and now and for eternity.  Or does this risk make us YouTube famous and we will be forgotten about in fifteen minutes.  A prime example is Henry Ford, if he didn't take a gigantic risk, the Ford Motor Company would not be what it is today, and the assembly line would have taken even longer to be revolutionized.  Just remember not all risk should be taken.  I shouldn't go jump off the ledge of the Grand Canyon without a parachute and expect to live to tell about it.  Discernment is key to deciding what are good risk to take and bad risk to leave alone. Do we have thick enough skin for when we are laughed and our motives questioned to keep on moving. The last time I checked we are all going to get wounded in this life and develop scars.  Are those scars because of risk and adventure we learn something from, or is it from sitting on the sideline and we have the scars of pain and regret. 

   The second idea is the idea is that we shouldn't do drugs.  I know here in American our view on drugs, whether prescribed or others have changed, which is a lengthy conversation that can be held at another time and preferably in person.  What I will say is this, what are those things that we turn too to help us check out or avoid situations.  In my book that is a better definition of drugs/addiction is what is that one that one thing you can not live without and you often feel naked when you are not doing it.  What is that one thing that if you don't have or not doing on a regular basis causes you to become discomfort able and puts your life into chaos.  I find it interesting for the people who quit smoking, often gain weight.  They are trading the addiction of the nicotine and emphysema for food, weight gain and probably diabetes.  When we get rid of an addiction, we have to realize that we are creating a vacuum and we need to fill it with something that is good, healthy and constructive.  So instead of saying don't do drugs, we should find those things that has a higher value in our life than it should (smart phones, social media, sports, books or even certain relationships) and work on either limiting or even getting rid of said things.

   The third concept is that we should not get lost. I have done enough traveling to know that I am directionally challenged and I get lost easily.  This may have prolonged a trip or two, but at at least I got to see some pretty landscapes and just maybe I was living by the philosophy of not all who wonder are lost.  So here is my question for all of us, do we know where we are going or are we taking life as it comes.  There is the philosophy that those who do not know where they are going might not get where they want to end up.  Are we taking inventory of our goals and making sure that we are doing things to meet those goals.  If a ship going across the ocean from NYC to London, and it is one or two degrees off its direction, the ship will end up anywhere but London.  This is where we need to make sure our compass is true. Is what keeps us grounded and on the straight and narrow true, or does our does it need to be recalibrated.  We also need to reevaluate our goals from time to time to see if we are meeting them and if not, reevaluating and adjusting them.  We all have desires, wants and aspirations, the question is that do we put in the goals to meet them or do we which that they just happen magically.  I can dream about losing weight or writing a book, but if I don't put in some tangible goals and work to meet them, that book isn't going to get written or weight will be lost. So being lost is more than just being in an unknown location, but it is not having any direction.

   How often the choices we make not the brightest.  I know I have made my fair share of mistakes and they become pointless when I don't learn anything from them.  When we make choices, we can either do nothing, play it safe or take risk.  There was a pastor who was leading a missions trip to Africa and someone told him to be safe.  His response was that God did call him not do anything stupid, but God didn't call him to be safe.  This is where discernment comes in because discernment always should tell us what is a good choice and what is a stupid one no matter how risky it may be.  I think there are times when called calls at least me to take risk to get outside of my comfort zone. There are decisions and choices that seem stupid to people but makes perfect sense to God.  Just remember, choices not only have consequences, but they often cost us something, and sometimes it comes with a really big price tag.  Are we willing to pay that price tag to make the decision or go down the path that we know we should.  Or are we willing to play it safe and live a life of mediocrity.  The question is who are we listening to when we make our choices, are we listening to ourselves, others or God. There is nothing wrong with asking advice from people who are mature and have that gift of discernment, but we really should be seeking God first.  I will walk off with this as a challenge and good advice from the Bible, is what we are seeking worth finding and are we willing to give everything we have to seek it. Also, where our treasure, our heart will be there also.  

Actions and Consequences

  Here is a random thought and its something that I have been thinking about this week and these thoughts were engrained into my head by president of the college I attended.  One of his major platforms is that ideas do matter and that actions and words have consequences.  We often learn of these truths early, but need reminding of them on a daily basis. I read an article today from a recent Sports Illustrated about a college student who was a walk on football player for the University of Virginia. (even to be a walk on at a Division 1 program means you are a very talented athlete).  But Joseph Williams has a bigger cause on his plate, not only does he volunteer at several places and mentors a number of people there is one thing that is near and dear to his heart.  He and several students at the University of Virginia went on an eight day hunger strike to bring up awareness about the pay of the service employees at the university were receiving.  A lot of the service employees were receiving minimum or just above minimum wages which resulted in them just scrapping by.  Williams saw it as an injustice because the university was spending millions on athletics and yet they could not afford to give their employees a pay raise.   This news story not only caught the attention of the administration, but also garnished national media attention.  Williams was forced to make a decision to fall in line and give up the protest and remain on the team, or keep on with the protest and not be a member of the football team.  He chose that the latter and thought it was to big of a cause to give up.

  This gives light to issues of social justice and what is worth fighting for and what is important.  It is often standing in the gap for someone else and giving them a voice.  I also know that a lot of us are not willing to go on an eight day hunger strike, but two things still remain.  Who or what are we willing to stand up for and are we wiling to face the consequences of them.  Everything that we do/say or not do/say has consequences either for good or bad.  Our actions, thoughts and words often shows us where we are at with God and the condition of our heart.  Whether it is not getting up and going for that walk in the morning, makes it that much easier not to do it tomorrow morning (not that missing a morning walk will make us lose our salvation).  Or failing to communicate with family members or the tone of communication can have bad consequences and shows how selfish and self centered.  So often we just focus in on the bad consequences and trying our hardest not to do them, that we often forget that there are good consequences.  We teach ourselves and others (especially children) don't do stuff because something bad will happen.  Whether it is drugs, alcohol, or premarital intercourse, we often preach on the evilness of these things and they will lead to bad things.  Instead of always preaching don't do(there is a time and place for this), maybe its preaching on doing good things and reap the good benefits.  Whether it is some more time in the Bible,leaving the cell phone at home, or saying no to that late night ice cream, they do have positive consequences.
  
  In closing are actions and words, both that are said/done and the ones that are not said/done have consequences and they are usually either positive or negative consequences.  The Christian faith is not one of works that will get us into heaven but our works are a response to who we belong to and the grace that has been given.  I think there are very few decisions that are amoral (neither good or bad) because these things often lead to another decision.  So be mindful of what is said and done and that as a Christian, we do have the power of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to make those decisions that will have a positive impact. But here is the kicker, we have to be open and listening for Him.  The Holy Spirit usually that still small voice in our ear or that deep gut feeling telling us what to do or say, or from time to time hits us on the back of the head to get our attention.