CONSEQUENCES

“Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.” ~ Proverbs 7:23

REFERENCE:

Proverbs 7:6-23

To live a meaningful and impactful life, you must understand the concept of consequences. Life is a product of choices and decisions, and every decision has consequences – a form of cause and effect. You can choose your sin, but you cannot choose your consequences. If you fail to consider consequences before making any decision – in your career, business, family, dating, or marriage, you may regret it.

The young man in our text was approached by a harlot while taking an evening stroll. With flattering and enticing words and a kiss, she promised him all the benefits of spending the night with her and lured him into her bed. He had a choice to make; should he or should he not? He decided to go in to ‘lay’ with her, not knowing that an arrow would strike his heart and it would cost him his life. Consequences.

Let us learn some things about decisions and consequences from this young man:

a.     He was Simple-minded: He was naïve, open-minded, and foolish. He did not give deep thought to what he was doing. It also means that he was seducible.

b.     Devoid of Understanding: The Hebrew word here means ‘wanting a heart.’ In other words, he lacked the courage to say no or beg for time to consider outcomes. It means he lacked the full knowledge of what he was getting into and was deceived.

c.     In the Dark Night: When people were home, he was out on the street, exposing himself to temptations. He made this decision at night when it was dark. He could not see well enough to be discerning and could not be seen well enough to be held accountable.

This ill-informed decision cost this young man his life and led him to hell (Pr. 7:27).

Life will always present you with choices and decisions. Do not decide until you fully see what the consequences are. Will it make life better or worse? Will it affect your primary purpose in life, school, or career? Will you still be able to meet your family obligations? These questions are necessary for grasping consequences and helping you with better decision-making. Many people have sold their birthright, gambled their fortunes, hurt their chances, ruined their careers, lost a relationship, or got expelled from school because of a wrong decision.

Be wise, seek counsel, and be accountable to someone and your dependents. Before you make that next serious decision, seek God’s face, and think about the consequences.

ADDITIONAL TEXTS:

Proverbs 19:2-3, Proverbs 26:12, and Proverbs 3:5-8

PRAYERS:

+ I refuse to act hastily without getting all the facts, considering consequences, and seeking the face of the Lord on all matters.

+ Father Lord, I seek from You an understanding heart and the sweet counsel of Your Spirit in all areas of my life.

+ Where I am suffering the consequences of previous bad decisions, I ask for Your mercy.