The Pilgrimage - Dumb Choices

Dumb Choices.

I’ve made my share of dumb choices in my life. I’ve made a few emotionally based purchases that have proven to be, well, rash and reckless. Thankfully, most of my hasty choices have been mistakes that have primarily been harmful to myself, sparing the significant people in my life.

I did buy that Toyota van with the electrical problem—the issue I knew I could get fixed and come out looking like a stellar husband and father of three (at the time). We needed a bigger vehicle, and this baby was a way to chauffer my fam in style-- with the desperately needed extra room.

Let’s say that when I finally sold the van for a huge loss, I felt relieved to see it towed out of my modest driveway. Sayonara, baby!

I can’t seem to select a successful stock for anything. It’s not like I have a bunch of them, but even when I follow someone’s “stock tip,” it seems to go south literally on the day I purchase it. They stay submerged in a sea of red for very long seasons. Geesh.

And then there’s the ’64 Chevy. I am not a car guy, but I always considered this a classic. A friend of mine had owned it—and he was selling it at a Friend’s Discount. White—with its share of rust in all the wrong locations. Never mind that I had never restored a car in my life or didn’t know a hoot about working on a carburetor. I thought it would make me feel groovy to own it (it’s a 1960’s thing!)—and my wife said yes—so... I bought it.

There was this little issue with the back door. It refused to shut, and it would not latch. Since Duct Tape was not a popular alternative back then, I resorted to using a belt. I tied the door shut.

Kinda.

It would unexpectedly fly open sometimes. Occasionally, there would be a 6-inch opening and, at other times, a couple of feet—depending on my speed and how sharp of a corner I had to navigate.

As you recall, there were no seatbelts back then…

Here is the dumb part. I was a Youth Pastor at the time, and I chauffeured a lot of kids around. Of course, they thought the air rushing through the car was pretty cool, and they thought the guy driving the death trap was definitely worth emulating for a role model….

Let me pause here to apologize to all the parents who are just now finding this out. Sorry about that.

If we are honest, we all have stories that vividly display our silly and potentially dangerous choices/decisions—decisions that we regret—choices that leave long-lasting scars and damage once-close relationships.

Let’s do a 30-second Soul-Cleanse. Have you made any choices that have made another person feel shame, disrespected, isolated, sad, lonely, dazed, disoriented, berated, or confused? A child, sister, pastor, teacher, volunteer, coach, priest, work associate, parent, Walmart Associate, or a spouse?

If so, out of intentional, selfless love-- go apologize. Own your stuff. Own your dumb choices. We all make imprudent choices and decisions. Fine, but when the decision does not resemble the model Jesus so clearly laid out for his followers—we must make it right. It is a part of our mandate.

Someone said, “Stupid hurts.” If our stupidity has hurt another person, it falls to us to implement a course correction. Fix. The. Car. Door. No belt or duct tape for this one. We can’t be genuinely “right” with Jesus if we are not intentionally “right” with those around us. Right?

For extra credit, check out Matthew 5:23-24.

To respond to any Pilgrimage devotional, you can email me directly at [email protected]

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