KIS&S

I’m tired this morning. I went out with friends last night so the puppies were in their kennels during the evening. Usually I’m home and the evening is their play time. So at 9:30 pm last night when I got home, they were ready to "party." They partied until well past midnight with a reprise at 3:30 am.

I slept late this morning and so did they. We are all experiencing the consequences of our actions last night.

Consequences came to my mind when I read Deuteronomy 5: 17-21, the final commandments that all start with "you shall not...". In some people’s minds these are the big ones. They list the big sins. Yet sin is sin, none are bigger. Maybe these have bigger and more complicated consequences.

My logical mind thinks, "Why would God even need to mention these sins? Isn’t it obvious?" Yet the Israelites were entering foreign territoy where some of these practices were common. God knew He needed to be abundantly clear about these practices being sin. Maybe that is why they are short and sweet. Just don’t do this.

Today my mind again goes back to the first commandments and the advice to be safe. The final commandments also have a purpose of keeping us safe. Our lives will be safe in a world without murder, adultry, theft, lying and jealousy. If we follow these commandments we will be free of the consequences: revenge, hate, bitterness, lack of control, despair and sin. Just think of the "lack of drama" in modern life if we lived safe and followed the ten commandments.

In today’s world, we don’t think about the consequences of our actions often enough. Our society is driven by "if it feels good today, do it". Just look at the popular TV shows. The drama comes from the consequences of bad actions. Study the news for the day. Politicians and leaders study the impact of actions and plans to prove their point. Yesterday, two different news stories complained that leaders didn’t think of the consequences of their proposals.

I remember a night when my dad and I pulled into the garage after a long day at the hospital with my mom. He was tired but needed to call Grandma with an update. Grandma was an "Uber-worrier". To protect her, we would just not tell her things. We had years worth of omissions and hidden truths. We thought we were being kind. Yet our omissions created a web of hidden events and information that was very complicated to keep track of what she knew and didn’t know. Before we got out of the car that night, my dad and I reviewed the list of what Grandma knew and shouldn’t know.

I remember this incident and use it to keep me honest. Deception is so complicated and leads to the dramas of life, even when I think I’m protecting. I may chose to protect someone in this way but I also accept the consequence. I may be willing to do it to protect but do I want the drama and consequence if I have another choice, a better choice to avoid the consequence?

The Israelites were entering a complicated land. They needed to be safe. To be live long and well they needed to Keep It Simple & Safe: Follow God’s commandments.

I live in a complicated world. My actions and decisions have consequences for me and those around me. I need to Keep It Simple & Safe and follow God’s commands.

Keep

It

Simple &

Safe