Consequences

March 21, 2007

By Jerry Scott

I’m currently reading Collapse, How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. It is not a “Christian” book. The author, Dr. Jared Diamond, does not address spiritual issues as a factor in a civilization’s success or failure. Nonetheless, he makes a fascinating case for the power of our choices and the inevitable long-term consequences of actions.

Writing about his studies of great civilizations such as the Maya in Central America, Diamond shows how certain faulty assumptions about weather and/or abuses of the environment eventually brought about unintended consequences and the eventual collapse of a society.

Often the process of collapse spanned several generations and could have been reversed if the society had been willing to make radical changes in their way of life. However, because of the time between cause and consequence, the need to change was either missed or ignored until things were too desperate to bring about a stop in the rapid slide to oblivion.

God’s Word teaches, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others — ignoring God! — harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life” (Galatians 6:7,8, The Message).

God’s judgment of our actions is a recurrent theme of Scripture. The Bible assures us all people will one day stand before the Great Judge to give an account for the way they used the opportunities of life. My observation, however, is that judgment does not have to wait for eternity. It often happens right here, right now.

When I step on the brakes in my car I am assured because of the laws of physics that my car will decelerate and stop. I am also assured if I exceed safe driving speeds on a curvy road, my tires will lose their traction and my car will end up in the woods. Judgment will have occurred! In a similar way, God’s principles “judge” us every day. If we are loving, we will find love. If we are selfish, we will find loneliness. If we live only for today, we will not have rich resources for tomorrow.

One way to illustrate God’s law of sowing and reaping is in marriage. A couple of weeks ago, Bev and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. Our marriage is a treasure to both of us, providing us with a safe place in life, with a depth of security and with a wealth of love that has no equal. We did not come to these benefits simply by accident. We are quite intentional in guarding our relationship, exclusively loving each other, offering support to one another, giving up self-concern to serve each other, and keeping our vows.

As a result, we enjoy a harvest of intimacy, trust and security we could not have even imagined 20 years ago. (Yes, I also recognize the amazing grace of God and His rich blessings. I do not write this from any sense of pride, but with deep, humble gratitude to Him!) There were choices to be made along the way. As we did what was right — sometimes not because we necessarily felt like doing it, but because we believed the wisdom of God about marriage — we sowed the seed that is producing an abundant harvest.

A caution is in order. Be careful you do not look at others and conclude, “They are suffering because they sinned!” Jesus forbade that. “Judge not,” He said, “lest you be judged!” (See Matthew 7.) You and I do not have enough information about others’ choices. We cannot always discern the “cause and effect.” We do not grasp the purposes and plans of God. Even in our own lives we must not be overly congratulatory or condemning, for there are many factors outside of ourselves that influence the outcomes we experience.

But we dare do not ignore the principle of sowing and reaping.

Are you building a rich life, walking in God’s way, accepting His wisdom day by day? Or are you headed for collapse, living a fool’s dream that says, “I can do what I please without suffering the consequences”?

Be wise. Submit to God. Learn His ways. Live in His blessings.

Jerry D. Scott is senior pastor of Washington (N.J.) Assembly of God.