Choices=consequences...
Everybody makes choices, daily.
We choose to get out of bed, we choose to eat, we choose to go to work. We choose to allow others to influence our attitudes, we choose to live like a piece of driftwood or to be conscientious, responsible, accountable. We choose whether to follow the crowd or walk alone. We choose everything in life.
And with those choices, there are always consequences. What are the consequences of getting out of bed, eating and going to work? Motivation, good health, and a paycheck at the end of the week.
What are the consequences of allowing others to influence our attitudes? Anger, frustration, inferiority complex.
What are the consequences of living like a piece of driftwood?
Instability, lack of direction, self-absorbed lifestyle.
What are the consequences of being conscientious, responsible, accountable? Self-worth, positive frame of mind, disciplined.
What are the consequences of following the crowd? Low self-esteem, trying to fit in, unhappiness, while trying to appear to be happy.
What are the consequences of walking alone? Self-confidence, fortitude, inner strength.
Do we truly consider the consequences before the choices? Nope...for the most part, as the old saying goes, "hindsight is 20/20." And with that hindsight consequences follow closely.
As I've penned more than once, "Everybody wants to be somebody at anybody's expense."
No regard for the consequences when attempting to climb a ladder, whether it be socially, financially, emotionally. The choice is just to climb the ladder...at any cost.
Sometimes that's good, sometimes not so good.
But either way, the choices always bring consequences.
When we are truthful with ourselves, we can be truthful with our fellowman.
No matter who it is or what arena of life he or she may be in,
when we make lying the rule rather than the exception, the consequences are always detrimental.
There's always the boomerang effect of which to beware!
A friend laughingly said to me the other day, "I don't lie...I just tell tall tales."
Well, there's a difference in lying and telling tall tales. A lie is an intentional act, a tall tale is meant to arouse curiosity or make one jovial in the end. A tall tale is like a yarn...it can be spun in different circles.
But a lie, is a lie. I used to say I didn't lie; I just didn't tell all the truth...until the Lord convicted me of using that as an excuse, to basically lie.
As I sit here tonight pondering the events of this past week, for some reason these thoughts seemed to rise to the top of the pile, so to speak.
The Bible says, "The truth will set you free."
Thus, we see why so many are in bondage...they lie. They don't tell the truth, unless it benefits them.
It's an abomination to God. He hates liars.
So do I. I can respect a man who says he will do something, and he does it. Or if something happens and he can't, he at least makes an effort to contact me to say something has hindered him from being able to do what he says.This is what I term consideration, respect for the feelings of others. It gives clarity to the end result, rather than creating havoc.
I guess the older I get the more like Daddy I get in this arena.
He used to complain about lying people. He said it was all uncalled for. Simply pick up the phone and call and say something, or nowadays, text. But to ignore the fact and then try to make me feel like I'm the bad person for calling their hand on it, well, that's just another rung of the lying ladder.
And yes, it is a ladder. The more someone does it, the better at it he gets. So, he climbs another rung, to do it again...and again...until eventually the truth is obscured and he can't find it to save his life. Lying is so much easier once it's a learned habit.
So, I said all that to say this...choose truth. Choose to live in a realm which is not going to cause lying and hypocrisy to outweigh the actual.
Truth gives peace of mind, peace of heart and soul.
Dare to be different. Where liars abound, stand in truth. It may not be popular, but it will give a sense of self-worth which cannot be stifled in the end!
Love truth...live it!
D. S. Mullis
.2017
