Consequence

Consequence: the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier. 

We come to the fork in the road where we are presented with an option. Do we veer to the left or to the right? To the left is the way that we are supposed to go but for some reason to the right seems like a much better option at the time. As humans we tend to veer to the right. There is a verse in the bible that I want to share with you that I think fits perfectly into our topic and that is Romans 7:14-25. This is a very long passage but I feel that it needs to be shared,


¹⁴ So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. ¹⁶ But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.¹⁸ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ¹⁹ I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. ²⁰ But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.²¹ I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. ²² I love God’s law with all my heart. ²³ But there is another power^[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.²⁴ Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? ²⁵ Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.


To the right is consequences and to the left is the truth. Now just because we tell the truth doesn't mean that we won't get a consequence and I am a living testimony to that as I am sure most teens are but it does mean that we could receive a lesser consequence because we decided to do what was right. I think Usher puts it perfectly "My mind is telling me no but my body's telling me yes!" Now I think we all know what he may be talking about but we can really apply that to any situation that is going on in our lives. Whether its alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sugar, caffeine, coffee, male attention, sex, cutting, deception, lying, manipulation. Any situation we may be dealing with we can use Romans and Usher quotes and they apply to it. I know that I struggle a lot with telling the truth because I fear the consequence but what I found out through an experience that I had this past weekend is that it doesn't matter you need to tell the truth at all times. Its hard and believe me when you think about the consequences if you've already committed the action its 20 times harder to do what is right but that is why I encourage you to think before you act. Yes, it is an elementary principle that we all have learned but few of us apply it including myself. I was once told that is you take 8 seconds to think about something before you say or do it your decision will change and thats because you have gotten over the impulse and started to think rationally. So I encourage all of you when you are standing at that fork in the road veer to the left and not to the right. Take that extra 8 seconds before you respond and ask yourself if I partake in this is it only for temporary pleasure that could change long term goals. Consequences aren't fun and no one likes them so let's try to avoid what we can to get them.