No one in their right mind would intentionally take a loaded gun and shoot themselves in the foot. The first consequence would be intense pain, then blood beginning to run everywhere, and when they couldn’t get the bleeding stopped, a trip to the emergency room. After the hospital people checked him out and cleaned the wound, it would probably require surgery to repair the damage. Depending on whether he had insurance or not, a hefty medical bill would follow. The sad news is, this person may not be able to walk without pain again for as long as he lives.

The reason I have shared this story with you is because of the way the human mind is constituted. We remember things much longer when blood is involved and the story is graphic. And I want you to remember this story for as long as you live.

There is a natural law here that controls everything in the universe. It is called the law of Cause and Effect — every cause has an effect and every effect has a cause.

There are many natural laws in existence, but the one that everyone knows is the law of gravity. If you get on top of a step ladder or a tall building and fall or walk off, you will always go down, you will never go up. This is the way all natural laws work, and they literally control our lives. If you would like to know more, just go to the Internet and type “Natural Laws” in the search box — there is a lot of information there.

Here is the good news: when we know and understand how natural laws work, we are in a position to almost tell our own future. Maybe even more importantly, we will be able to help our children and young adults avoid poor choices. Here is another thought for your sharp mind to think about: We can choose our choices, but we cannot choose the consequences of our choices. It is really quite simple: when we make good choices, the law is working for us, and when we make bad choices, the law is working against us.

Here are some choices I have made that work for me: I don’t use drugs, smoke, drink alcohol, view pornography, gamble, use profanity, or run with immoral or ungodly people, and I do my best to be honest, tell the truth and treat others as I wish to be treated.

Here is an example in my own family of what happens when people make poor choices.

We know from research that smoking causes lung cancer. I have a sister and an uncle who started smoking when they were young. Both became addicted and became chain smokers. Sad to say, before their time, they both passed away from lung cancer, and I am sure they were both in some pain before they left us.

The term “shoot yourself in the foot” has been used so often that it has become a cliché. In our modern language it means that anything we do or say that is not in our own best interests is simply shooting ourselves in the foot. Now, I know you are sharp and you get the picture. I hope you can use this information, and if you have children teach it to them as well. We see people all the time who do bad things and think they can get away with it. This law works, my friend, and we should always stay on the right side and use it to our advantage. Our future is much brighter when we do.

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(Editor’s Note: Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated to over 375 newspapers in 35 states making it one of the most successful in the history of American journalism.)