Jeff Johnson: Choices, consequences & help from the CLC

Long before I owned a smart phone, I knew the meaning of TGIF, RSVP, ASAP, and especially TCBY. (“The Country’s Best Yogurt.” I just had to throw that one in.) All these acronyms are shortcuts conveying an important message. Recently, I texted I was headed for a deacons’ meeting, where a few challenging topics were on the table, and got this response: AYOR. I texted back: “At your own risk?” and before I knew it, I made a bad choice and texted SWED. (“See what else develops,” right?) He texted back: DHYB. (“Don’t hold your breath.”) LOL! Later, I learned SWED stands for “smoke weed every day.” Bad choice for a pastor.

Jeff JohnsonI face more consequences than ever before, and that coincides with the hefty increase in the number of choices I am called to make. My freedom of choice is no longer a choice. I live in a choice culture, where choice is not an option. Choice is a value and virtue in and of itself.

People expect, even need, choices. I stay away from places and people who don’t give me choices. How long would any restaurant last today that only offered one food on its menu? Unless, of course, it was featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives.

As my choices have increased, so have my responsibilities. However, although I am free to make my own choices, I am not always free to choose my own consequences. (Come to think of it, I do remember a gym coach once giving me a choice between licks or after-school detention.) Certain choices come with specific consequences attached. I once spent all day in the sun at the beach without sunscreen. The consequences were visible to all—sunburn. But choosing to expose myself to the sun every day may result in something less noticeable but far more dangerous—skin cancer.

Choices can become complex and complicated. Texas Baptists’ Christian Life Commission is extremely beneficial in helping us make ethical choices. Ferrell Foster is the CLC’s director of ethics and justice. A specific area of focus is making ethical choices. On this web page, you find helpful and insightful material and links to additional resources that include The Baylor University Center for Ethics, Christian Ethics Today, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, T.B. Maston Foundation and Wheaton College Center for Applied Ethics.

A commitment to Christ gives me guidelines that, although broad, allow certain options to fall along the wayside. It doesn’t tell me whether to vote Democratic or Republican, or what car I should purchase or where I should live. My choices testify to Christ’s presence in my life by engendering respect, integrity and justice as their “consequences.”

FYI, after my SWED mistake, I got a text DQYDJ. I texted back AYPI. Don’t know what that is? GIY or just ask your kids. I also just found out our church is doing outreach at the SFT or is it the TSF?

Jeff Johnson is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and pastor of First Baptist Church in Commerce.