UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF CARRYING A KNIFE
Four years ago in England, 15-year-old Sadam Essakhil grabbed a kitchen knife “for protection” and went out onto the streets of Handsworth, Birmingham, looking for trouble. He says he had no intention of drawing the weapon, yet Essakhil ended up using it to kill another young man. Now he is paying the consequences of his actions. In a video released from behind bars this month, Essakhil intercedes for other youth, pleading with them not to arm themselves with knives even if they think they won’t use them.
UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BELIEVING GOD
When the children of Israel rejected God’s promise that He would lead them victoriously into the Promised Land, they had no idea what the consequences might be. God was so angry with them that He told Moses He would destroy them with a pestilence and raise up a new people from Moses. Had Moses not interceded on their behalf, an entire population would’ve been decimated because of their lack of faith in God.
Questions
- What’s an action you took that had unintended negative consequences?
- Has there ever been a time when you interceded on behalf of someone else—or someone else stood in the gap for you? What happened?
- How would the biblical story have been different if Moses hadn’t interceded for the people?
