We have all heard the nursery rhyme, Sticks and stones may break my bones…but what about decisions? Do you realize there isn’t one decision you make that doesn’t affect someone else? Think about that.
In the last week I have had four people make some bad decisions. I’m sure they thought it would only affect them, but in every situation it affected other people around them. Children, spouses, friends and even church members. Why do our decisions affect others? Because we are intricately woven into other people’s lives, if we like it or not.
Decisions affect other people. We need to think before we make decisions, especially life changing decisions. We don’t have to make all of our decisions based on other people, but it would do us good to think outside ourselves before we make some of the decisions we do. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before making decisions:
1. Who will this decision affect?
2. How will this decision affect those people?
3. Is this decision worth the hurt it may cause other people?
4. Am I willing to live with any consequences that may come from my decision?
If people would just ask question 4, it would answer questions 1-3. In some instances there may be consequences to our decisions. Is the decision worth the consequences? We can’t have the “whatever will be” attitude. Sometimes there is no time to right a wrong.
Luke 14:28 (NLT) says it the best: “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
Think before you decide. Count the cost. It just may save you a lifetime of heartache.