More From Mary Hunt Webb

This photo of me and my mother was taken around the same time I learned the lollipop lesson described in today’s meditation. Although Mother has been gone more than 20 years, the lessons she taught me are still a part of who I am and how I live.

Like the lesson in today’s meditation, many of the lessons my mother taught me came from the Bible. It’s not always easy to recognize those biblical lessons. I hear people say that the Bible doesn’t address the complexities of today, but the Bible teaches us basic behavior. One such biblical admonition appears in Luke 14:28, in which Jesus says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” Jesus' words are similar to the saying, “Think before you act.”

I was too young when I asked for the lollipop to consider the complications of the purchase, but that incident taught me to think ahead before I act. In some ways, I am still learning that lesson. When I'm considering a purchase now I have to ask myself, Do I really need the item? Will I use it often enough to justify the expense? Where will I store it?

This same lesson also applies to actions on the Internet. I must remind myself to consider, Do I really need to join a social media group? Will it usurp time that I should devote to other things?

Jesus advises us to consider the consequences of our actions before we commit to them. Just as it was a valuable lesson is Jesus' time, it’s a beneficial lesson today.

My husband and I pray that we can reflect our Lord to others. Toward that end, we have a website. We welcome you to explore our postings on our “Webbsite” at http://www.maryhuntwebb.com/.