Let the Consequence Follow

The chorus of the hymn Do What Is Right begins with the lines "Do what is right; let the consequence follow." The funny thing about consequences is that the word has a negative connotation, but it's actually neutral. There are such things as positive consequences, and there especially are good consequences for doing what's right, namely blessings, including Eternal Life. Blessings are "consequences" that make doing what's right worthwhile.

Of course, there can be negative consequences for doing what's right as well. It can be an unpopular practice. One may be stigmatized, and perhaps even persecuted, for doing what's right. Countless people have been killed for doing what they believed was right.

But (and I hope I'm not being too crass here) so what? Death isn't actually all that bad, especially for someone who died for doing what's right. Those who are righteous, and especially those who die for being righteous, are blessed by God. God's blessings far outweigh the world's punishments.

So, even if a person is persecuted, tortured, and killed for doing what's right, they'll be far more blessed for doing so than they would be for not doing so. The world may throw everything it has at you, but if you stay faithful, God will give everything He has to you, and God has a lot more than the world has, including the world itself. So do what is right, and let the consequences follow. Some of them may be painful, but some of them will be wonderful, and overall, the positive consequences will far outweigh the negative ones.