A car approaches an unguarded rail crossing, but the driver ignores the warning signs and just drives through. When he realizes his mistake, it’s too late to avoid the high-speed train that hits his car, killing him and his family. If he had only heeded the warnings and stopped to look and listen for oncoming trains, they would still be alive.

What does this have to do with us? We know not to cross unguarded rail crossings without checking first! Yet, don’t we all fumble through "crossings" in our lives and hope that we don’t get hit by the train? Even worse, sometimes we are totally unaware of the imminent danger.

We are called to make decisions on numerous occasions daily. Some are as mundane as determining what shoes to wear. Some are more complicated and have wide-ranging implications for the immediate future and the rest of our lives. How do I choose which college to go to? Should I go out with my friends on a "bender"? It is inevitable that we will make mistakes, but how many and of what severity?

We live in a society where we are constantly told that it is okay to "do it" our own way. In fact, we are encouraged to make mistakes. A lot of these are disguised as "fun things to do" and those who do not participate are branded as boring individuals leading dull lives. Some say that you do not need to consider the consequences "as long as you’re not harming anybody." But what do they mean, not harming anybody? Aren’t you important too? Why should you harm yourself?

Did you know that God is a God of choices? "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

God, as the Creator, set down the rules for human life. He made it quite clear that our decisions not only affect us personally but could also impact our own children and future generations. He desires us to carefully consider our actions so that we may live full and happy lives.

However, God knew that human nature would not succeed in keeping His perfect law. To learn more about God’s law, request or download the free booklet The Ten Commandments. Being the loving Father that He is, He gave us plenty of examples of what happens when we stray outside the boundaries of what is acceptable in His eyes.

"There is nothing new under the sun" (latter part of Ecclesiastes 1:9). These words were uttered by the wisest man who has ever lived, King Solomon. In all his wisdom, he could plainly see that those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.

From our immediate family to history books and the Bible itself, we have a wealth of information on mistakes people have made. We are also offered the gift of hindsight when we learn what the consequences were and how they could have been avoided. We should apply critical thinking to discern what the best course of action is, based on this collective experience.

Most importantly, before making a decision of moral and spiritual significance, "stop" and positively reflect on the potential consequences. Then "look" at what you have personally learned in life, and most of all "listen" to our loving God’s guidance as it is echoed throughout His Word. VT