Editor's Note: This letter was written in reference to a young man in prison the letter writer came to know. The man recently was released.
Editor, Times-Union:
You have probably never been so near being truly free in your lifetime. You have discovered that you, as we each have, a God-given freedom of choice. Yes, it is awesome to be free to choose what to eat, what to drink, wear, who to have as friends, etc.
But maybe - just maybe - you are also discovering that with each choice there is a result, or consequence that follows every choice. God gave us each freedom to choose, but God has not given us freedom from taking the consequence of that free choice. The results of a choice may be delayed - but there is always "payday someday."
Question: Since you are now "grown up" into adulthood, are you willing to start taking responsibility for your choices? You can keep blaming someone else for whatever happens to you; you can bawl, kick scream, yell "life isn't fair" and be a crybaby all you want, and still find that you are responsible for each and all of your choices. (See Acts. 16:30)
Right now, you have what could be your one last chance to be part of God's great redemptive "miracle" if you choose to. There's no way I, nor anyone else, can make that choice for you. If I, or one of your several caring family/friends could have made the decision for you, it would have been made many years ago (and would have saved you loads of grief), but the truth is nobody can decide for you!
This decision has to be made deep inside your being - your very heart! No use trying to fool others by saying one thing with your words and the opposite deep inside you. It just won't work! Why not? Because you cannot fool God! He sees and knows what's deep in the heart of us!
Now, my dear friend, if you care to, "with all your heart" take hold of just the truths God has helped me put on this one page, you will become one small part our Father's continuing miracles of redemption! We each start on our knees!
