Recovering Our Losses

All of us are constantly facing decisions, some of which we recognize as serious, and some of which seem relatively trivial, but which may have far reaching effects. We all do some wise things and some foolish things. And it is characteristic of humankind that whenever we pass up an opportunity or make a bad decision, there is always a secret hope in our hearts that our mistakes will not be considered as being too serious – – that we will have another chance, another choice. In a sense we will. There is always another choice ahead, and we may always repent so long as we don’t let ourselves slip below the possibility of repentance. And merely because we made a bad decision yesterday is no reason why we cannot make a better decision today. But it is also true that making bad decisions leaves lasting effects upon our lives. And even through we may turn back from an unwise choice, there are still far reaching reasons why we should guard ourselves against them – – for he who persistently makes wrong choices isn’t going to progress as far as he who consistently makes right choices. The prodigal son repented and was welcomed back. But this didn’t restore the time he had lost or the things he had wasted. Journeys traveled in the wrong direction still keep us from going as far as we might have gone in the right direction. And even though eternity lies before us, this is the life in which the work of this life is to be done. The life that lies beyond will have its own work to do, its own decisions to be made, its own distance to be traveled. When we get on a wrong road, the sooner we do what we have to do to get back on the right road, the less we are likely to lose.