Calculations
October 25, 2023
Here’s an imaginary math problem using my computer’s calculator to find the answer:
Two plus two equals four. Four times eighteen equals sixty two. The square root of sixty two is seven point eight seven four zero zero… times eighty-nine equals seven hundred point seven eight six seven zero zero… That’s 700.786700.
Because I used my computer’s calculator, I know the answer is correct. Right?
Wrong.
“Garbage in, garbage out.” 4x18 doesn’t equal 62. It equals 72. That means the final answer is wrong.
My point? There’s a lot of conclusions that people come to see as truth, but they have errors in the ideas running up to those conclusions. This usually affects their daily decisions, big or small. They form a person’s mindset about the questions swirling around and about everyone. This plays out — whether directly affecting them, or localized, or indirectly worldwide — this results in consequences of decisions made.. Inevitably, real life problems, being miscalculated, bring about calamities of various sizes and proportions. This has been true in my life, anyways.
Nothing happens in a vacuum.
Could this tendency make for much bigger problems? Sure. You can count on it.
There’s another saying that warns: “What goes around, comes around,” and may I add, it doesn’t matter if it is your “what” that is going around. The wolf always seems to come around, bringing that “what” to your doorstep.
People my age have finished answering all the questions they have had and are proceeding toward the end of life with a confidence that they have done the best they could. Striving to enjoy their lives, their friends, and their families, we often do so with wrong ideas, perspectives, and mindsets. It remains, how we see things happening in our lives, our families lives, and even in the world around us, has consequences.
Why? “No man is an island.”
Personally, if I might be wrong about something, it really doesn’t matter all that much. The consequence is most often limited to myself. But wait a second. Isn’t that precisely the wrong way to figure out my calculation? The effects can unknowingly spread out like ripples in a pond. It’s a common mistake. It’s the theme of this writing.
Life may be pretty good for us. We don’t see what is coming down the road and eventually going to stop at our door… So, we should remember the warning in this prophecy, “The chickens have come home to roost.”
Now, let’s face it: The whole world is sliding sideways. Maybe we don’t see it as such. Maybe we believe it will all go away. It always does. Right?
Wrong again.
Might this be a miscalculation? Might this be untrue, because we have put errors into the mix? Have we ever challenged our assumptions?
I’ll conclude with my Biblical perspective. This passage of Jesus’ teaching about the end is the correct solution to everything going sideways and how to ultimately solve the problem correctly and how to avoid the consequences of our miscalculations. Here’s the problem:
Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
Checking homework doesn’t take very much time and effort, and I think it is extremely important to do so, and it is essential for us to correct our mistakes to avoid a failing grade. Jesus doesn’t want anyone to fail… “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” Also, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with {us}, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance”
