#206 THE DANGER OF RASH DECISIONS

Rash decisions are dangerous.  They are defined as reckless and may have been made hastily or incautiously on impulse, when time was neither taken to gather all the known, related information, nor taken to weigh the facts to draw a wise conclusion in the light of the consequences.  Jesus taught his hearers to "count the cost", Luke 14:28.  The wise businessman practices this regularly.  It is just as wise in all of life, yet many make little effort to study God's Word on a desired activity basis, or to pray.  God has spiritual laws just as He has natural laws.  The rich farmer in Luke 12:16-21 thought that he could live on things and self, while he ignored God and others.  Proper business, social and school activities may crowd out God.  The Apostle Paul said, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  "(Galatians 6:7) A miserable condition would exist if this were not true.  No one would know what to do.  Oats come from oats, and wild oats from wild oats.  Peace and happiness are not expected from strife or hatred.  Hosea 8:7 prophesied, "For they have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind." Even if harvest does not come when and as expected, there will be no crop failure as some hope.  God's laws are immutable.  Renaming the crop will not change the result.  Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil."

Mistakes can be forgiven when God's laws for such pardon is followed, but vile scars may be left with dire consequences to be endured.  Drunkenness can be forgiven, but a broken and a damaged home, mind, liver, or kidney, may still be impaired.  Extensive or permanent injury to others may result when the so-called right is used, confusing judgment.  A leg lost to us is still lost after true repentance.  Not every social drinker comes to this, but millions have that did not plan it that way.  A child conceived out of wedlock remains such although it was no choice of his.  Things may get out of control before the person realizes that it is true.  Even sincerity does not alter God's law.  Uzzah died despite his desire to help, the same as if he had defied the law of gravity, II Samuel 6:6-7.  The Apostle Paul once said, "Behold therefore the goodness and the severity of God.  On them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness.  Otherwise, thou also shall be cut off."(Romans 11:22) Again we read, "For there is no respect of persons with God."(Romans 2:11)

Many have accepted a little evil to get what is desired.  A person that marries another thinking that he can be changed, nearly always find that the marriage rites did not right him and that the altar did not alter him.  The relationship to God is often not considered seriously by young or old.  It may be very late in spiritual ruin when it is seen that God has been trampled under foot while the soul is traded in an unwise bargain.  Promises, pledges, or solemn vows with unknown difficulties result from foolish or rash decisions.

Consider the statement in Ecclesiastes 5:24, "Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter things before God.  Let thy words be few.  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools.  Pay that which thou hast vowed." All statements should be regarded as before God, whether a binding phrase is added or not.  It is better to count the cost and pray for grace to do His will.  Other conditions might make greater wrongs if the promise were completed.  Even if it hurts, as Psalm 15:4 points out, there is no reason to shirk duty, unless there is the conviction that the vow is in conflict with God's teachings.  Really, a pledge to evil is void of obligation from the start, whether there is an awareness of it or not!  Action would only make a second error.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  A vow does not make an action right if it would be evil without it.  It is better to avoid another mistake than to have two mistakes, which we must correct.  Be sure what is right before pledges are made or action is taken.  Then it may be safe to go ahead.

Rash decisions are troublesome, wasteful and very foolish.  The principle embodied in the old saying "Marry in haste and repent at your leisure" is true not only of marriage, but of every relationship in life.  While it is not good to unnecessarily put off decision making, it is an even greater mistake to rush headlong into decisions which may seriously affect you for the rest of your life, without first allowing plenty of time for serious thought and prayer.

If you are not yet a Christian, the first step in making the right kind of decisions lies in placing your life in a correct relationship with God so that your prayers may be effective.  In this connection, we invite you to also read #301 and #302 in this series.