Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Choices and Consequences...and Blessings

A good friend made an observation the other day. I have profound respect for him...for the way he has conducted himself in difficult circumstances. He wondered how things might have been if people had made different choices in a circumstance which involved both of us. This was my reply to him. The names have been changed to protect the guilty...and the innocent.

"This (to change the circumstances) was a choice we were never given. The best thing we can do (for ourselves) is simply walk away. I still wonder sometimes if I did the right thing... But at certain moments in our lives we have to trust God to work out things that are beyond our understanding.

We make choices and choose the consequences and God works out the details. I wish there was a better system. Maybe Jesus wondered the same things when he saw the disciples run for cover. But he chose the stay the course…which is ALWAYS the most difficult path. I am sure you will make a good decision. I always respected the choices you made and saw that your family was better for it. Sometimes, when we look at the choices people make, we just have to walk away.

Jesus could not help everyone…not out of inability but out of a profound respect for their choice. I wonder about the father of the prodigal son…why did he not just stop him. Lock him up in the barn…No. He had to let him go. Had to let him fail. Had to respect his choice and hope he would come to his senses. That is why we are told to bless our enemies…they still have choices…and they can choose the path of regret and repentance. We have to let them go and choose our path. But you already know that."

A. I.

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