What Are the Consequences?

Every day we all make decisions. Each one of these decisions may be done automatically (without any thought), disobediently (which requires thought) or spiritually (which requires the Spirit). Most people make their decisions without thinking there will be consequences but every decision has consequences.

The smallest automatic decision has consequences. Today, I put on a shirt that was closest to me when I got dressed. I, then, had to pick out socks, shoes and pants which matched. The consequences of picking out the shirt resulted in the rest of my outer wear. Matching definitely affects how people look at my choices in what I wear. It even affects what they think of me.

I remember noticing what an English professor was wearing one day when I was in college. I can remember because I wrote it in my notes. He wore a green plaid suit, yellow shirt, polka-dotted tie, purple socks and brown shoes. I thought, "Who is this clown?" Indeed, he looked like a clown. It is really hard to take anyone that serious when they don't look serious.

Of course, this in somewhat minor. Many other decisions have dire consequences. For example, do parents know what they are communicating to their children when they irregularly attend church? Do they know the values they are instilling in their children when they keep they continue to choose sports over anything spiritual? Do people really believe they will reap what they have sown?

This morning I was having my quiet time. I was preparing to read in Galatians:

Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV) ⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

These verses made me look at the decisions I will make today. These tell me that I must be careful that my careless decisions may have consequences I don't want. Unfortunately I can tell you the logical consequences of my decisions but rarely think that far ahead. I need to look at what I am doing and why I am doing it. Am I responding to the Spirit or the flesh? Do I really believe God is in this?

Anyway, God is already speaking to me about this when I get a call from one of the Sunday School teachers at the church. He asks me if I am open to suggestions. He tells me that he is reading Haggai and thinks I need to preach on it. I really hadn't considered doing so but while I am on the phone with him I turn to the book. There I read while the Sunday School teacher is urging me to preach through the book:

Haggai 1:4-6 (ESV) ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵ Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶ You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

I was a little dumbstruck. I was reading about sowing and reaping and here was a scripture which dealt with it right where our church is. We are considering renovating our sanctuary. This decision has dire consequences for the whole congregation if we decide not to do so. They will sow much but reap little. It will affect the livelihood of the congregation. It will have tremendous consequences.

Yet, most people have given reasonable reasons they don't want to renovate the sanctuary. They haven't given spiritual ones. Here is one that is. It also gives the consequences. Some of those against the renovation believe the consequences will mean the church will not have enough money to do other things. I now believe that failing to renovate the sanctuary will result in the church not having enough money to do other things.

There are always consequences.