Because He said so

A short series of articles in Essence magazine online interested me because it is about women repenting of unwise choices made in their quest for happiness. The first article was written by a woman who used to secretly date men in relationships. She was "the other woman." She says:  "I can’t fault anyone for my past. It wasn’t due to bad parenting, the lascivious nature of pop culture or even the Black man shortage. It was what I thought would make me happy. Sadly, I learned that happiness built on hurt and deception is short-lived." 

The second article I read was written by a former drug dealer: "I have to be honest. I wasn’t in dire straits. I didn’t come from a broken home. I wasn’t abused. Though I’d been exposed to the street life while living in Harlem, I didn’t start hustling by circumstance. It was a choice. I was a teenager enthralled by the toxic yet alluring mix of the street life. You know, the medley of close calls, quick cash and unfiltered fun. I had to have it. So I sought more." 

The third article was by a woman who aborted her first child and later married her partner and birthed two children with him. She shares: "Choosing to end my pregnancy was one of the most distressing decisions I ever made. I wasn’t just thinking about myself. I was consumed with thoughts about what type of life I would be able to offer my child. I was riddled with anxiety over whether my partner and I would be able to stay together for the long run, and how that would impact our baby. Last, I was worried about what my family would think."

These women all share that their decisions made in the pursuit of happiness and convenience brought them pain, danger, and broken relationships. In essence (pun intended), they are sharing their stories as a warning against their choices, but none of the three ever admits: "What I did was wrong." These women reasoned their decisions were bad because the consequences left them more broken. Following this line of reasoning, if drug dealing, having affairs, and aborting a child had made them happy long-term, then their decisions would have been good decisions. This is obviously backwards thinking.

Imagine a world in which you never knew the wisdom of your decisions until years later when you examined the consequences. Should I steal this iPod? Should I lie to my boss? Should I eat this entire pizza? Guess I'll find out in a few years...ridiculous! Obviously, we cannot foretell the future, but we CAN know whether most of our decisions are good and bad because God has set morality in place. Taking a job at Kohl's versus a job at Target does not matter so much, but cheating on your husband matters because God says it's wrong. He makes the rules, not us. And because He is good, He makes the rules for our benefit. Thus, do not steal because it destroys industry and breaks down society. Do not lie because kills trust and makes you an outcast. Do not have sex outside of marriage because hampers your ability to forge committed, lasting relationships and will harm your health with disease and infertility. Do not idolize possessions, passions, or people because the desire will consume you. The list abounds, and those who have eyes to see will note the natural and spiritual consequences.