Choices, Costs and Consequences for the Youth

Choices are decisions. Cost is a price. Consequences are the results. Every choice made, a price is to be paid and there are consequences. What choices have you made, what cost are you willing to pay, and are you ready for the consequences?

Right now, you are young, bold and brazen. Afraid of nothing and acting out, without shame. You have the yoke of youth.  Being inquisitive and opinionated strengthens your shoulders. Having the desire to know and learn new things, all while expressing strong beliefs and judgments about everything. Many of you are going off to college or getting your first apartment or starting your first job.  Your life is beginning.

As a young adult, you may think

Once we were young and can relate to some or all of the above proclamations. As parents, guardians or social leaders, we’ve seen, heard and experienced things that altered our lives. Some of the alterations were promising, while others discouraging. At one time, the above statements energized, but as life happened, that energy faded into reality.

As life is experienced and real life happens the bold words spoken convert into humble pie to be eaten.

• My entire life is in front of me until you had unprotected sex with a one-night stand and now you have HIV.
• I have all the time in the world until you were with the wrong crowd, they committed a crime and now you are in prison, for being an accessory.
• I am smarter than my parents until you grasped the concept they went to college, received degrees and brought home healthy salaries and you ditched college and you’re making minimum wage.
• My parents don’t understand until you discovered they did understand that’s why they tried to warn you about life, and you refused to listen.
• I will not make the mistakes of my parents until you realized you made bigger or more life-threatening mistakes because of your stubbornness.
• My generation will matter until you recognized the devil has deceived your generation and robbed you all your identity, nothing seems to matter.
• I’m in love until you become pregnant and the father abandons you.
• No one is going to tell me what to do until you found yourself in an abusive relationship and every move you make is dictated.
• I got this until the drug experimentation leads into addiction. Now, the addiction has you.
• It could never happen to me until it did.
• It’s time to party until you identified that’s all you do, and years slipped away.
• I am invincible until you learned life has defeated you for lacking the knowledge to win the battles of life.

This is not to say, do not to your life, Enjoy your youth while you can. Sometimes, the youth are in a hurry to become an adult, to do things your way. However, some of your choices result in negative consequences. Every generation thinks they know more than the previous generation. 

Do you want to make good choices? If you like bling, get G.O.L.D God, Obey, Listen, Determine.

God. Without God, your life is harder. You cannot do things without God. You may think you can and that’s pride. If you pray and seek God, life is easier.

Obey wise counsel. Disobedience and stubbornness appear to come with the territory of being young. Good and sound counsel comes from experience. Learn to do what is right for the right reasons and not to do things because you always have a better plan. Or, simply because you want to go up against the grain. Learn to obey the directions God is guiding you toward. If you rebel you might find yourself in a direction you do not want to go.

Listen to wise counsel. Too often young people attempt to listen to advice from other young people who do not know any more than they do. Seek advice from someone who has lived life, has God in their life and who has your best interest, at heart.

Determine what kind of life you want and take steps in that direction. When there is no direction, you may sway toward unfavorable situations or domineering people that blows your way. You may be blown in a direction that you don’t like.

Do a new thing. Be the example for others. Don’t be a conformist. Get God in your life and watch how your blessing will flow and your direction will be solidified. Then, others will want to be like you.

What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. Psalm 25:12 King James Version (KJV)