‘To every action…’
Allan Vint
August 26, 2021
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Ephesians 5: 15-20 (NIVUK)
15 Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are some notable scientists who have really changed the way we see the world — surely one of the most significant is Sir Isaac Newton. His wisdom, insight and personal ‘Eureka’ moments have provided us with a knowledge and understanding of the physical world which today greatly informs our day to day living.
One of the fascinating universal principles he explained is called Newton’s third law of motion. According to this rule, whenever two objects interact, they exert equal and opposite forces on each other. This is often worded as “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.
To put it in a more general (and non-scientific) sense our actions (and inactions) have consequences. The upshot of which means that we need to be thoughtful and careful how we go about things because otherwise we might cause ourselves or others hurt or (through inaction) we may fail to do something which would really make a difference.
In recent years this interplay of action/reaction has become prominent as we have sought to understand changes in the world and in our environment. We have become more aware of how various aspects of our way of living have negatively impacted on global processes and patterns.
When the apostle calls on us to be careful — we need to extend that care beyond ourselves to others and beyond that to the land and air, indeed the planet on which we live and exist.
PRAYER:
Loving Lord how careless we have often been. Not deliberately, not maliciously but because we really haven’t taken the time to think through the consequences of our actions and inactions.
In your mercy grant then to your willing servant both a heart that cares and mind that works out a careful way of treasuring the gifts you grant to us. Amen.
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