Natural Consequences

“Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord your God and not fear him. I, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 2:19 NLT)

Imagine a drug addict’s mindset. He will do things that he never thought he was capable of to get his next hit. He doesn’t care about the damage he is causing to himself or those around him. All he cares about is getting high. But, just because he is indifferent or unaware of his destructive choices, doesn’t erase the effects of his behavior.

Sin damages the body, mind, and soul. Evil leads to destruction, first to the perpetrator, and then to those who are close to him. When a person is separated from God, he becomes susceptible to sin.

Wickedness brings its own punishment. Those who reject God suffer consequences. Deep within themselves, they know that they have succumbed to evil. Bitterness builds up, blocking and hardening their hearts. They may seem indifferent, dismissive, avoidant, and irreverent-- but they cannot feel good about themselves when their insides are corroded by sin. They lose the trust and respect of others. This, in turn, affects their own sense of self-respect and their ability to trust themselves. They end up numbing and distracting themselves to desensitize their conscience. They become disconnected from their own souls.

“They all fool and defraud each other; no one tells the truth. With practiced tongues they tell lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning.” (Jeremiah 9:5 NLT)

Choices have consequences.

People who are kind, honest, loyal, and altruistic create an environment of virtue. This fosters similar characteristics among their peers.

The opposite is true as well.

Those who wallow in the pigsty of depravity are uncomfortable around those who lead clean, wholesome lives. People who are dishonest, disloyal, unfaithful, unkind, greedy, mean, selfish, or violent prefer to hang around others who are similarly corrupt. Eventually, they destroy each other through deception and exploitation. Thus, wickedness brings its own downfall.

Lord, rescue us from our sinful addictions. Lead us away from temptation. Protect us from evil.