Choices have consequences. Some choices have more long-term effects than others. Good choices usually reap good benefits and bad choices many times have negative consequences, some of which can affect a person’s future for a long time.

A number of years ago, I was teaching a lesson on forgiveness and the importance of being willing to forgive those who offend or harm us. Forgiveness is not the same as saying what the offender did was OK but rather that in spite of the fact that their actions hurt us in some way, we can choose to release the person into the hands of a loving God who can then deal with them in the way that He knows is best for them. One of the people said, “Well, I will never forgive one person who hurt me and a member of my family.” When I persisted in trying to bring understanding of the seriousness of unforgiveness, the person said, “I don’t care if I go to hell, I will never forgive them.” That put such a fear of God in me that they had hardened their heart to the Holy Spirit’s instructions from the Word of God.

More recently, I have been working with a young man in our church who was also having difficulties forgiving a member of his extended family. I stated plainly several times over the course of a few weeks or months, how important it was to forgive, even if that person was wrong (I don’t think they were, but he has the perception that everything that person does is against him.) He has refused to forgive and has now become somewhat bitter, which is simply unforgiveness with age on it. Again, my heart was so grieved because the scripture is very plain about the importance of forgiveness and the consequences of unforgiveness. It also states that a “root of bitterness will defile many.” I fear for him if he continues to harden his heart and moves into bitterness.

I have hopes that both of these people will come to a place of repentance and pray for them to understand the importance of forgiving even our enemies. Jesus gave us His example and modeled what it was like to stay in a place of forgiveness. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Stephen, the first martyr in the early church, also modeled to those around him, including Saul the Pharisee, who later became Paul the Apostle, stating, “Lord, do not lay this sin to their account.”

John Bevere wrote a book some years ago that brings clarity to this subject in a very detailed and succinct way. The book, “The Bait of Satan,” shares truths concerning the consequences of unforgiveness. It locks the person who is unwilling to forgive in a prison of their own making, until they can forgive. Unforgiveness is the “bait” to ensnare or imprison a person, just like a piece of cheese will attract a mouse to a mousetrap or a morsel of bread attracts a bird into the cage meant to imprison it. The end results can be just as deadly.

This same principle of sowing and reaping can and will apply to any violation of the scriptures. There are consequences to our choices. This is also true concerning the promises and blessings of the Lord that we readily embrace. But many tend to ignore the warnings in the scriptures concerning the consequences of behavior that is contrary to the will and nature of our God.

Joshua admonished the children of Israel who were about to enter into their promised inheritance to “choose this day whom you will serve.” Just as I shared last week, God created us in His image and with that came the power of choice and free will. When we are enlightened and then choose to go contrary to the truth, we harden our hearts and like Judas, we may reach a point where we no longer desire to follow the truth and harden our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and conviction. What a terrifying thought. Is that what Hebrews 3-4 is referring to? “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion…”

Our mayor pro tem, Terry Scott, who is also on our Community Transformation board, has been so concerned about the violence that has led to the untimely deaths of several young men recently, that he is organizing a movement called “Think! Before you React.” Young men with access to deadly weapons have killed another young person over issues that could have been resolved without violence and death. Our leaders in the community realize that this is an issue that must be addressed in practical, common sense ways. If the choice to use a gun violently were not an option for these young men, because they had thought about the consequences and ultimate results and decided that they must choose another option to resolve the conflict at hand, these young men would not be dead now. Families and extended families, as well as whole neighborhoods, are affected by these extremely bad decisions. The consequence for their actions goes way beyond receiving the punishment they deserve for the crime they committed.

May I encourage you to keep your heart in a place that the Holy Spirit can correct you if necessary? Make wise choices and do not allow your emotions or personal biases affect you and others in a negative way.