Interconnectedness

Do not think your decisions are isolated. God has woven the world together. In God's overarching decree, this weave always produces ultimate good. But the short-term consequences can be far-reaching and hugely detrimental. Saul's disobedience brought death to his sons and destruction to Israel.

All the decisions of men in authority have far reaching ramifications. Consider this example from the world of sports.

I got the following from the ESPN website.

Choices have Consequences

When UTexas, Mack Brown gathered his team following a Saturday practice on Dec. 14, 2013, and revealed his plan to resign, he set off a chain reaction in the college football world.

Directly or indirectly, Brown's decision to leave Texas affected the jobs of 103 coaches and influenced coaching changes at 47 college programs, four NFL organizations and two high schools. The impact of the legendary coach's departure was felt at every level of the game.

Of the 1,280-plus head and assistant coaches in FBS football, the jobs of at least 5 percent were impacted by Mack Brown's decision to step down.

The aftereffects touched powerhouses Alabama, Florida State, USC and Georgia. Each lost multiple assistants this offseason due in some part, large or small, to Texas' coaching change. Petrino's hiring of Greg Brown even prompted renowned Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to take over the coaching of the Tide's defensive backs.

The staffs of the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were also affected, as were East Central Community College and Holmes Community College in Mississippi.

Or this humorous example

The world changing paper weight- When our church was grappling with the truth of God's all encompassing sovereignty and our interconnectedness in it all, our pastor demonstrated this truth by saying something like, "See, if I move this paper weight from here to here, then everything changes, the course of history is forever altered." To which, one of the elders immediately replied, "Put it back! Put it back!"

The reality is that we are connected, that our decisions do have huge ramifications. Thus, we must make decisions based upon that which is right and good, based upon our moral duties. Then, we can confidently leave the consequences up to God.

But if we make immoral decisions, refusing to submit to God's authority, then we must also realize that our decisions are going to have far reaching negative consequences downstream.