Unintended Consequences

You hear a lot about unintended consequences regarding laws that are passed and battles that are fought. When a law is passed to protect the environment, it often results in businesses being shut down and people losing their livelihood.   Attacking an enemy stronghold can easily cause the deaths of innocent civilians who had no part in the choice of war.

The possibility of unintended consequences isn't restricted to nation states. An individual choosing to answer a text while driving may wind up killing or being killed as their car careens into oncoming traffic or runs over a pedestrian. A young woman experimenting with drugs may give birth to an addicted baby. A police officer returning fire may hit a bystander.

Unintended consequences are always a possibility and should be given weight when making decisions. However, unintended consequences are not always negative nor to be avoided. For instance, laser weekend I was talking to people at an event regarding veteran issues when one veteran mentioned her fractured relationship with God.

I began to talk with her about God and his plans for her, how that her life mattered to Him and how turning back to Him could not only change her life but others as well. I talked about the fellowship of Christians an them impact of that fellowship. The young veteran told me what an encouragement our conversation had been and that she intended to find a church to be a part.

I hadn't gone there that day to talk about faith and Chritian community but I didn't pull back from the opportunity I followed the directions found in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."  Her encouragement was not on my agenda that day but it was on God's. The unintended part of the consequence was only on my part.

When we set about the tasks of our day, there is always the possibility of unintended consequences for the kingdom, depending in our response to the opportunity before us. We need to be faithful to our calling as children of the King and be prepared for our day to be interrupted with kingdom work. As the apostle Paul put it, "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Col 4:6). Jus' Say'n.