Psalm 1:1-3; Genesis 3:1-7; John 8
The Law of Unintended Consequences is the phenomenon where actions designed to create one certain outcome also produce unforeseen, or unanticipated, outcomes which can be positive or negative.
- In 1968 Dr. Spencer Silver, a scientist with 3M was trying to make a super-strong glue, but his invention was a total flop, at least as far as super strong glue goes. What he actually invented was a “low-tack” reusable pressure sensitive adhesive. No one cared at that time. However, in 1974, a friend, who was a church organist, was having trouble keeping his place in his hymnals at church. He decided to put some of this glue on the back of a note card and the Post-it-note was born. That was an unintended consequence, but a good one. (https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/contact-us/about-us/).
- In 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan. America, not wanting another communist nation, supplied weapons to the ruling Muja Hedin. But, since we did not want to get involved, we stopped helping them. Eventually the Russians pulled out, but by then the ruling party was so weakened that it allowed a new party to come into power. The Taliban and this group actually used many of the weapons we supplied to Afghanistan to overthrow the government. Again, in 2001, when we went back to Afghanistan, some of the weapons used against us were the ones we had supplied to them. Bad mistake! That was an unforeseen consequence of our actions. (https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/28/the-u-s-left-billions-worth-o, f-weapons-in-afghanistan/).
- Before 1986, Haiti was a self-sufficient rice producing nation. Even though they did not have much, they were able to grow and distribute rice to the people of the small nation. But an American visitor who saw the poverty and the need, asked Congress to help supply rice to Haiti. Congress agreed, but mandated that all the rice they supplied would come from American growers. This opportunity to help Haiti, actually ruined their own rice production, and by the mid 1990’s they were almost completely dependent on foreign aid for all their rice. That was not the intended desire of the people who wanted to help… it was an unforeseen consequence (https://haitisolidarity.net/in-the-news/how-the-united-states-crippled-haitis-domestic-rice-industry/).
- Genesis 3:1-7 tells us about the story of Adam and Eve, and how Satan, in the form of a serpent, came to tempt them to eat from the tree which God had forbidden them to do. He said, ‘you will not die, but you will have your eyes opened and you will be like God’. It sounded right, but it was completely wrong. They ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree and that action separated them from God. They did not see that coming! Again, we see the law of unintended consequences.
- In John 8, we see a story about a woman caught in adultery. Jesus had been at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The people, and the teachers of the Law, were divided over who He was, and what He came to do. He had been talking in the Temple courtyard and some wanted to arrest Him. They even tried to set a trap for Him by bringing a woman caught in adultery who they were planning to stone to death. Jesus outwitted them by ignoring her sin and telling them that ‘he, who has no sin, cast the first stone’. They all knew they were guilty, as well, and slunk away from the courtyard. Unintended consequences. What they had planned for evil, Jesus turned to good.
As you consider this week’s devotion, please answer the following questions.
- What did Jesus want for the people, and what did the people want from Jesus?
- What do you think the woman was thinking throughout this whole experience?
- What can we take away from this?
Comments are closed