Consequences...

I've been thinking a lot about consequences lately. Last week I heard a Christian business woman speak about her horse business. She views the company as a ministry and she said one of the biggest things she can teach is consequences for actions - step behind a horse, get kicked. Parents often have the responsibility of teaching about consequences - touch a hot stove, get burned; disobey, get punished. This is purely opinion based on observation, but I think this is one of the lessons we are lacking in our society. We don't think we should suffer the consequences of our actions - I can do this and get away with it, escape the consequences "it won't happen to me;" or we have a sense of entitlement believing we are owed something by someone "I deserve this;" or we pass the buck, it isn't really my fault "it was a result of (fill in the blank) - my abuse as a child, or whatever it is that someone else did to me." You've heard these before, maybe you've even said them yourself.

It seems logical to me that we suffer consequences for our actions. Like a law of nature. I remember in physics class in high school the teacher talking about every action in the universe has an equal or opposite reaction. That could be applied to people and relationships. Our actions have a reaction; a consequence. It just seems natural and logical. I like logical, if consequences just stayed between those two affected parties than I could accept that.

Unfortunately, consequences don't work that way - they have a far reaching ripple effect. Our actions can impact so many, far beyond the immediate relationship. I've felt this ripple effect many times in my life - some one's choice to do something ended up effecting my life in unexpected ways. Most recently it happened with my work in India. My pastor's choice to have an affair, extended all the way to India. Premdas is a man of God. I describe him as a great man - the only great man I've ever had the privilege of meeting. I've read about great people; Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Theresa, Jesus - people who changed lives and challenged others to be more than they are today. I classify Premdas among those. Just being in his presence makes me want to be a better person, others have said he has the same effect on them.

Premdas and a small group of volunteers have been working on starting a new orphanage for vulnerable children in India. Our scheduled start date was May. Everything seemed to be on schedule. We'd even witnessed miracles in fundraising and felt God's hand moving this project forward. Then, BAM! Everything changed because of one man's selfish decision to choose pleasure over character. I had the unfortunate task of telling Premdas our plans were postponed due to struggles within the church to pick up the pieces left behind by the pastor's choice. This choice has affected thousands. It didn't just hurt his wife and kids (though that would have been enough) - it hurt the congregation, the community, and to my surprise the consequences reached way beyond that into other parts of the world.

These kind of far reaching consequences are much more difficult to accept, that is where my character is tested. Will I sit down and say, "this just isn't fair?" Or, will we stand up and say, "in spite of this unexpected difficulty I will persevere with what is right, choose what is good and make sure my character stays in tact?" I choose perseverance and character. It isn't easy, but in the end it is the wise, biblical, and best choice. I also believe the consequence of a wise choice brings positive things into my life; like truth, love and grace.

When I have kids, I want them to learn about consequences and pray they make wise choices to save themselves and others the pain of poor choices.