Choice and Accountability

Today we're going to look into the roles of choice and accountability. We are very blessed to be given the ability to choose. We are our own agents. For those blessed enough to life in a free country, we are doubly blessed with the freedom to give voice to our choices. Our agency is one of the most precious gifts we have. It is a human right that we are each born with. 

Although we do have the right to choose our actions, we cannot choose the consequence. Every decision we make comes with a consequence, some good, others not so much. It's a basic cause and effect relationship. Our decisions are the cause, the consequence is the effect. Our decisions cause a series of reactions, leading to some sort of effect on the world around us. Think about tossing a pebble into a pond. The first ripple is small, but each subsequent ripple grows bigger and bigger until eventually the energy is transferred elsewhere. Even a small decision can have major consequences.

I was recently invited to work with the youth at my church. Funny enough, I was specifically assigned the 14-15 year old girls. I'll explain why that's funny later. Trying to connect with these youngsters has cause me to reflect on my time in the teens. Although time wise that wasn't so long ago, it seems like another life. I was a different person in high school. Like most teenagers, I had some great qualities with some very rough edges.

You see, I don't have too many regrets in life. In fact, there is only one I can think of and it happened when I was 14. See the humor now? I'm not saying that's the only mistake I've ever made, it's just the only one that still haunts me. Why, do you ask? Because I made the wrong decision and it permanently changed the world around me. I would love to say that I made this decision for some the greater good, but that wouldn't be true. I took the easy way out and I regret it that decision.

The bad news is that when I made this selfish decision, I could not begin to imagine the effect it would have. I had no idea what kind of ripples my little pebble would cause. And unfortunately, my bad choice affected more than just my life. It cause hurt to others, some of which I care about deeply and some of which I've never met. And unfortunately, every time I try to stop a ripple, another set forms. Awesome, right?

The good news? There is always a way to calm the storm. You can't do it on your own, but there is a way. The same person who gave us our agency gave us a way to calm the waters. There is One who knows our hearts. If in our hearts we recognize our mistake and humbly ask for His help, He will provide a way. He will not change our past, but He will give up hope for the future. There is no decision so destructive that His power cannot calm the waters.

What does that mean for me? It means that my bad decision did not prevent those I love finding happiness. It means that although I cannot choose the effects my decision had, I can find peace in them. And what does it mean for you? It means that you, too, can find happiness. It means that there is a way to find peace in your current situation and hope for your future. 

So here's the take-home message. Consider your options before making a decision. Don't be rushed into a bad decision. There is always a choice to be made. If you do make a bad decision, know that there is way to come back. You cannot do it on your own, but it can be done. There is One who knows your worth and will never give up on you. Your decisions matter and so do you.