In our area we have had an overabundance of precipitation the last several years. In fact the farmer’s field has been so wet that the soy bean crop could not be harvested the last two years. This summer has been different, while there has been enough water for the crops in our area, things are dry. Many parts of our province though are on high alert for fires due to the very dry conditions. Many locations have water restrictions.
I found it interesting that in the face of such shortages that internet polls, not specifically scientific, are finding almost 25% of those who participated claimed they had no intention of cutting back on their usage. Such an attitude is really reflecting the underlying motivation of their heart which declares, “I am going to do what I want regardless of what anyone else says, or how it impacts the life of anyone else.” When such a self-centred response is expressed in the face of immediate community need, it is no surprise that there would be the same kind of response to God and His Word when He calls for moral restraint and self discipline.
Power outages caused by overheated and overtaxed electrical systems effect everyone as does low water reserves. In the same way those who refuse to follow the principles of honesty, integrity, morality, and love as outlined by God in the Bible bring upon everyone significant consequences. Proverbs 14:34 declares that, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The choices you make in your life do have far reaching consequences. The attitudes we express, the words that come out of our mouths, and the things which we do are not insignificant. These things ripple their influence into the lives of our families, our neighbours, our community, and even our nation either in a positive or a negative way. What we do with our life will either make our world a better place for those around us or a little bit worse. When we take the self-centred, “me first” approach to life it will not result in a better world for others. Jesus Christ summed it up for us in Matthew 7:12 when He said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” This attitude and lifestyle fulfills God’s righteous requirements for living out our lives in relation to others in this world. The question remains, “Will we do it?”