consequences

A week or so ago my companion and I were driving back to Florida. I sat there looking at all the cars driving with us down the long straight road. I couldn't help think about each of these cars... Who are they? Where are they going? What are they doing? My curiosity now pinched I began to ponder even more. Why are they going there? Why are they keeping the laws and driving safely? What keeps us from just stopping right where we are or turning around into another car? Silly question huh? Consequences keep us from doing something dangerous and life threatining like that. So we just kept plugging along down the endless highway headed where our heart's desire.

Why do we harm ourselves with Spiritual consequences? Drinking a little beer may not seem as obvious as hitting another car going 70mph. But it is against the Word of Wisdom. Skipping one Sunday of Church may not seem as bad as Speeding 100mph on a 55mph road. But each of these things hold Consequences just the same. There is always a reaction for something that we do.

James E Faust said "Sometimes we make poor choices. . . . Unfortunately, some of our poor choices are irreversible, but many are not. Often we can change course and get back on the right track. Getting back on the right track may involve the principles of repentance. . . . Learning by experience has value, but the 'school of hard knocks' is deserving of its name. Progression comes faster and easier by learning from our parents, those who love us, and our teachers. We can also learn from the mistakes of others, observing the consequences of their wrong choices."

We don't need to stop traffic to see what would happen. We shouldn't think that we need to break God's commandments to see how we would feel, or what would happen. He loves us and has given us the power to choose for ourselves. We should take care of that gift and not fall into a desicion that would take away this agency. As the famous scripture in Joshua says "choose you this day whom ye will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Every choice we make has a consequence, whether it be bad or good.