How Will Your Decision Affect Others?

[How Will Your Decision Affect Others?]( Current Teaching Series [Essentials for Living]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [How Will Your Decision Affect Others?]( By Rick Warren — 08/30/2023 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= “Each of us will give an account of himself to God. So don’t criticize each other anymore. Try instead to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong.” Romans 14:12-13 (TLB) One of the biggest mistakes we make in life is forgetting how much our actions influence the people around us. Every day you are tempted to make decisions that may seem best for you but could have a devastating effect on the people around you. If you want to make wise decisions, you need to ask, “Will my choice harm other people?” That’s the opposite of our culture. Our society teaches us to think only of ourselves. But God wants you to think about others, not just yourself. In fact, the Bible says that one day you’re going to be judged by God on how your decisions affected other people. Romans 14:12-13 says, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God. So don’t criticize each other anymore. Try instead to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something he thinks is wrong” (TLB). You may not like hearing this, but you are being watched—all the time. If you’re a parent, you should be especially aware that little eyes are always observing. You’ve got to be careful about what you say and do because you’re influencing not just your life but the next generation as well. Show respect for those who serve and protect your community. If a police officer pulls you over for a ticket, even if you think they’re wrong, treat them with respect. Don’t call in sick when you’re actually taking your family to the beach for the day. Don’t bring supplies home that you stole from the office to use for personal benefit. Don’t cheat on your taxes—and then brag about it in front of your kids. Don’t watch the awful stuff that’s on TV and in the movies with your kids. Think about whether you should be watching it at all. Mature people limit their freedom for the benefit of others. Not because they’re afraid of what other people think, but because they’re motivated by love. In situations where there is no clear right or wrong, you have to ask yourself, “How will my decision affect other people?” [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - How does pride affect your ability to clearly consider how your choices affect other people? - Does it matter if another person thinks what you’re doing is wrong, even if you think it’s right? Why or why not? - Practically speaking, what does it look like to limit your freedom for the benefit of others? The post [How Will Your Decision Affect Others?]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= [Get the Verses of Hope Scripture Box when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( Life has a way of blinding you to the hope you have in Jesus, especially during seasons of suffering. That’s why Pastor Rick created the Verses of Hope Scripture box—to help you stay anchored in the certain hope of Christ by keeping your heart and mind focused on the promises of God’s Word. This beautiful, gold Scripture box with the look and feel of leather and an embossed Bible verse on top, includes 40 artfully illustrated Scripture cards, along with 64 lined cards for your personal notes. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 5 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Essentials for Living. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Living by Grace Message 2: How to Connect with People Message 3: Using the Bible to Make Decisions Message 4: How to Invest Your Life Message 5: How to Tell God You Love Him [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( Rick Warren is the founding pastor of [Saddleback Church]( one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller [The Purpose Driven Life](. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created [The PEACE Plan]( to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States