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Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Belief in a No Consequence World

Yes, I watched the news stories of the girl being beaten by her classmates. I understand she had done some bad things to them before they beat her. I guess these things have always happened. The difference is that they posted this on Youtube. It is one thing to commit a crime. It is a totally different thing to be so proud of it that you want the world to know. Or did they?

A phenomena we are experiencing today is the thought that something as public as Youtube or Facebook is only meant for your friends. Some have published pictures of themselves that they intended to be private but the world has peeked in. Then, these people are appalled that there are others seeing what was done.

There seems to be a disconnect between actions and consequences. Sure, people always run to watch a fight. However, people haven't always been making the fights available for the world. It makes me think of first Home Alone movie where one of the thieves flooded each house that was robbed so that they would have a reputation of being the Wet Bandits. He wasn't thinking that this would also tie together all of the other robberies when they eventually got caught. He didn't connect his actions with the consequences.

Maybe the girls had never had consequences before. The media said they were cheerleaders. Sometimes positions within schools give you privileges. You can believe the rules don't apply to you. Maybe this is why many professional athletes are getting in such trouble. When they grew up people covered up for them because they were such great athletes. Consequences never touched them before; why now?

I know that every action I make has the possibility of consequences. Some of these can be good. I have to weigh each action before taking it. Will this result in something that I want for my life and others or will it cause me and others shame, financial hardship or future disqualifications? The knowledge of how my actions will turn out comes from knowing what is wrong or right. Wrong actions may have positive results but the actions are still wrong and carry dishonor with them as a consequence. Right actions may cause me and others hardships but these actions remain honorable.

Jesus had to know the consequences of His actions. He knew those in authority would hate Him for them. He knew they would kill Him for them. He often spoke of His death. His actions remained pure and He submitted Himself to the consequences.

The difference we live in today is that people don't believe there are consequences for their actions. They do not know that a single act can cause hardships for the rest of their lives.

2 comments:

Mule Skinner said...

Here are verse which talk of ultimate consequences:

Mat 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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