"Bebe Forever!"

One of my favorite current radio spots advertises something that I can’t remember. I think it is investing advice, but I am not sure. It has a man and woman talking about their previous reluctance to go on blind dates, but they are having such a good time on this one that they are glad they told their mutual friend they would. The chemistry seems to be perfect.

Then it happens. She says to him, "What is that on your forehead?"

He responds, "Oh, it’s just an old tattoo. My hair is supposed to cover it."

She says, "Come on, what does it say? Let’s see … ‘Bebe Forever!’? You gotta be kidding!" She laughs. "You ever thought of getting that removed?"

He is obviously embarrassed (as well he should be) and he says, "Well, it is in kind of a bad place."

At this point the announcer breaks in and says, "We all have to live the decisions we make." And then he directs the listener to whatever investment firm is being advertised.

Profound Truth is often found in the most unexpected place. Unfortunately for the young man in the commercial, he will indeed have to live the rest of his life with the consequence of a decision made in one moment. It is nobody’s fault but his that he will be laughed off the planet by the girls he dates. It’s too bad, he had such promise.

Of course there is a serious spiritual lesson to be learned here. We will have to live with our decisions, good or bad, for the rest of our lives and perhaps for the rest of eternity. The young person who takes his first puff may not think too much about consequence until he goes to the oncologist. The fellow who decides that getting drunk every now and then is not so bad may have to live with the knowledge that someone is dead because of him or the broken home that is a result of an unanticipated addiction. A young lady may make a decision one night, and not too much after that have to make another decision – to destroy a life before it becomes an apparent inconvenience, and live with the shadow of a thought of what might have been, or to accept an unwanted responsibility of raising a child and being one at the same time.

Righteousness demands that we think in terms of what is right and wrong in our decision making. Of course, right is revealed to us in the word of God. "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Nothing is left out. It is all there.

Wisdom, on the other hand, demands that we take into consideration the consequence of our action. What will or might happen to me, others whom I care about, and what will be the outcome of important issues of my life? We want to be wise, to use good judgment, because we want to be happy, and we want our loved ones to be blessed as well. We want to be wise in our dealings with men and in the conduct of our lives because we hold certain outcomes to be important. Wisdom, good judgment, prudence, whatever you want to call it, looks ahead.

Where do we get wisdom? In the Bible we are told to pray for it. "But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5). I believe that God grants us wisdom when we pray for it.

Now wisdom is not knowledge, or even intelligence. We have all known people who were smart, who seemed to know much more than ourselves, who did not possess good sense.

I don’t know what all God does when we pray for wisdom. My praying for wisdom instills in me an attitude that is receptive to thought and consideration. I know that helps. But look at what the Bible says about wisdom.

"Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have kept thy precepts" (Psa. 119:97-100. ). There is wisdom in the word. To know God’s will is to have wisdom, because his will relates to consequence. It is what provides the best outcome in whatever we are concerned about. And so the son of David, Solomon says, "Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil: It will be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones" (Prov. 3:5-8). There is sufficient wisdom in God’s revealed truth.

There is wisdom in the guidance of those who love us. I still rely on my parents for advice, because their advice is usually wise. When they give advice, they are motivated by their love for me and their desire to see what is best for me. Many times I am motivated more by the pleasure of the moment. So Solomon instructs his sons, "Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding: For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law" (Prov. 4:1-2). To listen to the prudent father is to gain from him prudence. Now we must apply it. That is why God gave us fathers and mothers who love us.

"Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom" (James 3:13). Good judgment is worthless if it goes unheeded. Wisdom is proven in the effect it has on my behavior and attitude. Verse 17 tells us how true wisdom effects character: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy." It effects how we decide to treat other people and behave in front of them.

The Scriptures would instruct us in wisdom, and they encourage us to be wise. "Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). To look carefully how we walk is to live carefully, to be careful about our conduct and manner of life. The King James use the expression, "Walk circumspectly …" Be watchful, look around and ahead. Consider what might be the end of what we do or decide. Don’t decide to do or refrain from doing anything ignoring possible consequences.

Decisions that we make may effect us the rest of our days. Sometimes we can rationalize that the pleasure of the present is more important than other considerations. Sometimes we do rationalize that we have plenty of time to repent if things don’t turn out the way that we anticipate. That may be true, we may be afforded the time to repent and save our souls, but often there is no remedy to the consequence of unwise decision. There is only the embarrassment, perhaps shame, inconvenience, tragedy, lost reputation and regret that will last the rest of our lives. All these come as a result of deciding unwisely for a moment of pleasure. Believe it or not, there are things that are much worse than having a ridiculous tattoo in the middle of our forehead.

As the announcer said, "We all have to live with the decisions we make." Sometimes we must also die with them.

Let’s be wise in our decision making. Let’s think about the consequences of our actions.