Thoughtful (?) Consequences

Every action has a consequence, even those we never witness. This is even true with our thoughts. Think about it. Think something simple or complex, positive or negative, victorious or defeatist; you affect change on something you might not see the results for today. Do it often enough, and that change becomes instantly visible. Become what you think, and everyone will know your new colors.

Yet, we make changes all the time. When I want to buy something, I’ve learned it’s best to search long for the perfect item. If I get caught in a buying frenzy, then there is no telling what I’ll commit and bring home!

I’m a pretty positive personality,
Negativity kept far, far away,
but I know as well as anyone else,
it’s easy to fall off the fence into the weeds of what?
Well, negativity. Just like everyone else.

Falling into a place you never wanted to be is calamitous. It won’t be easy to recover, and everyone will remember. It’s hard to forget who you were and who you’ve become. Even if God forgives, humans keep a better record and will judge you at the drop of a hat.

It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation
and only one bad one to lose it.
~Benjamin Franklin

Here’s My Thought

We call them wisdom and poetry books. Wisdom because what they teach is wisdom from a long life where choices are made on the right and left hand. Hard lessons were learned. Poetry because we remember how to live life better if we can turn it into a song or rhyme that is easy to speak. A mantra, perhaps.

They have names we know from the lives that were lived.
David (Psalms), Solomon (Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes).
Job (Job), where we learn much through suffering the harshest life lessons.

Solomon says we are what we think in our hearts. (Proverbs 23:7) But I also find him giving a fair warning for better living.

Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
(Proverbs 4:23-27 NKJV)

Do not let yourself be caught in living only through the Wisdom and Poetry books. They are full of Godly advice, but sometimes you need to know where they come up with these words. Most of David’s can be traced back to a life event.

Lessons Of Life

After a particular trying season, David writes a psalm with a familiar open set of words.

And he said: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
I will call upon the LORD,
who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
(2 Samuel 22:2-4 NKJV)

Ponder good words in your heart
From which you’ve learned a valuable lesson.
The results are better steps forward!
Hence the thoughtful consequences of your life.

Another rendition that we read in our Psalms is found in chapter 18. Here, the psalmist begins with an additional phrase. “I will love you, O Lord, My Strength.” Think about these words and make them part of your daily thought pattern, and you will find “Victory in Jesus, my savior forever!“

James says that if we think we are religious but cannot bridle our tongue, then our religion is useless. (James 1: 26)

I could go on, but I think I’ll stop. Can you add anything to this? I’m interested in hearing from you.