Informed Decisions: Why One Should Speak Out
As a teacher, apart from cultivating how their minds will function, it is my job to impart knowledge to my students, to give information, to give facts. This information can be used as a foundation for which they can base their decisions upon when solving problems and situations, so that their decisions would be wise. It would be wise because it had factual basis. It would be wise because it was an informed decision.
All of us know something that others don’t. And there will be times others will need the information that we have so that they can make informed decisions to achieve desired situations.
For example, when you see somebody on the streets, truly lost, looking for something, perhaps asking around, if you knew exactly how to find what that person was looking for, even if that person didn’t specifically ask you, and maybe that person asked somebody else by chance, who did not know the answer either, would you share what you know to this person in need, or will you selfishly and thoughtlessly keep what you know to yourself and leave the person suffering, making guesses, making uninformed decisions, going through unnecessary difficulty, hoping that that person will get the information that person needs someplace else.
It depends, are you a well-meaning person? Are you the type of person who looks out for the good of others? If you’re a Christian, then you should be. It is no less than your duty to help others. “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.” (Proverbs 3:27)
If you’re not a Christian, then consider this, how would you want it if it was you who was lost and needed direction, and people who knew the way thoughtlessly deprived you of the information you so needed? Sometimes, one motivation to do good to others, is that it is an investment, such that, when the time comes, when you are the one in need, although not all will do this, but maybe others, whom you have helped, will be there to help you back. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” (Matthew 7:12)
So therefore, those of us who are informed of a fact, have a responsibility to share this information with those who are uninformed, so that they may be fully equipped to make a wise decision. Withholding the truth that we know that others may need is nothing but cruel or selfish. For we, ourselves, may have already experienced making a wrong decision, that carried with it many consequences, simply because we lacked necessary information to make better decisions, and had somebody blessed us enough with the information we needed, we would have been spared of such consequences, but perhaps, reaped benefits instead.
There are many problems why some people choose not to share information they have. One is apathy. They just don’t care what will happen to other people, though they could have saved them consequences, it didn’t matter to them, as they did not care about those people. Which is wrong, as I stated two to three paragraphs ago.
Some just do not want the hassle of going out of their way, out of their comfort circle, to help another. Staying silent is oh so comfortable, anyway, it is not you who will suffer. But as I said, apathy is wrong. And so is laziness. And so is cowardice.
Some people choose not to share what they know to protect themselves. Much like a witness to a crime, who would rather not speak up because the witness would not want to further get involved. But because of this, those who are involved, suffer. Suffering and consequences that could have been alleviated had that person been more concerned about others than one’s self. And again it boils down to selfishness; putting one’s self before others.
Sharing can save others so much trouble. You can save people from so much difficulty just by speaking the truth. And yes, it is a good thing to save others, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves.
Yes, it is important to reach out. Yes, it is important to sacrifice one’s comfort zones. Yes, it is more important to sacrifice one’s self for the good of others. It seems obvious when stated that way, but still easier said than done, albeit, difficulty of a good act is not a good excuse to not do it.
So for Christians, we have to face ourselves. There is a truth we know, that is, the saving grace we ourselves enjoy, the saving grace that saves us, not only from Hell, but from a sad, pathetic, directionless, and often miserable life, here on Earth. Many times, people aren’t even aware that such a truth exists, so they do not seek it. However, because they do not know this truth, the decisions they make are based only on the facts that they are aware of, or on the “facts” they believe are facts. But since the most important truth is unknown to them, they suffer from the results of their uninformed decisions. But do we go out of our way to share this truth? Do we care to save them from the difficulties they may encounter because they are unaware of the truth? Or are we too apathetic? Or are we too lazy? Or are we too selfish?
Sometimes we are so scared at what others will think if we shared the most important truth in this world. We are too scared of how other people would react if we boldly reach out. But as renowned revivalist (and my favorite foreign [non-Filipino] composer) Keith Green had said, “… what are you giving them in return? A cool friendship? I’d rather have people hate me at the knowledge that I tried to save them.”
What if they reject the truth, the truth you have dared share with them? That is their choice, they are free to do so, they are free to believe or not to believe you. But they will reap the results of their decisions. At least, they had an informed decision. At least, they were given a fair chance. At least, you did your responsibility. You cannot make their decision for them. You can only give them the information they need, in the hopes that they will make the wise decision. And if they don’t, they will reap the results of their decisions. But whether or not they do, you will reap the results of your own decisions, whether your decision was to share the truth that you know, or selfishly, apathetically, cowardly, keep it to yourself.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2006, August 4, 10:45 pm)
All of us know something that others don’t. And there will be times others will need the information that we have so that they can make informed decisions to achieve desired situations.
For example, when you see somebody on the streets, truly lost, looking for something, perhaps asking around, if you knew exactly how to find what that person was looking for, even if that person didn’t specifically ask you, and maybe that person asked somebody else by chance, who did not know the answer either, would you share what you know to this person in need, or will you selfishly and thoughtlessly keep what you know to yourself and leave the person suffering, making guesses, making uninformed decisions, going through unnecessary difficulty, hoping that that person will get the information that person needs someplace else.
It depends, are you a well-meaning person? Are you the type of person who looks out for the good of others? If you’re a Christian, then you should be. It is no less than your duty to help others. “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.” (Proverbs 3:27)
If you’re not a Christian, then consider this, how would you want it if it was you who was lost and needed direction, and people who knew the way thoughtlessly deprived you of the information you so needed? Sometimes, one motivation to do good to others, is that it is an investment, such that, when the time comes, when you are the one in need, although not all will do this, but maybe others, whom you have helped, will be there to help you back. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” (Matthew 7:12)
So therefore, those of us who are informed of a fact, have a responsibility to share this information with those who are uninformed, so that they may be fully equipped to make a wise decision. Withholding the truth that we know that others may need is nothing but cruel or selfish. For we, ourselves, may have already experienced making a wrong decision, that carried with it many consequences, simply because we lacked necessary information to make better decisions, and had somebody blessed us enough with the information we needed, we would have been spared of such consequences, but perhaps, reaped benefits instead.
There are many problems why some people choose not to share information they have. One is apathy. They just don’t care what will happen to other people, though they could have saved them consequences, it didn’t matter to them, as they did not care about those people. Which is wrong, as I stated two to three paragraphs ago.
Some just do not want the hassle of going out of their way, out of their comfort circle, to help another. Staying silent is oh so comfortable, anyway, it is not you who will suffer. But as I said, apathy is wrong. And so is laziness. And so is cowardice.
Some people choose not to share what they know to protect themselves. Much like a witness to a crime, who would rather not speak up because the witness would not want to further get involved. But because of this, those who are involved, suffer. Suffering and consequences that could have been alleviated had that person been more concerned about others than one’s self. And again it boils down to selfishness; putting one’s self before others.
Sharing can save others so much trouble. You can save people from so much difficulty just by speaking the truth. And yes, it is a good thing to save others, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves.
Yes, it is important to reach out. Yes, it is important to sacrifice one’s comfort zones. Yes, it is more important to sacrifice one’s self for the good of others. It seems obvious when stated that way, but still easier said than done, albeit, difficulty of a good act is not a good excuse to not do it.
So for Christians, we have to face ourselves. There is a truth we know, that is, the saving grace we ourselves enjoy, the saving grace that saves us, not only from Hell, but from a sad, pathetic, directionless, and often miserable life, here on Earth. Many times, people aren’t even aware that such a truth exists, so they do not seek it. However, because they do not know this truth, the decisions they make are based only on the facts that they are aware of, or on the “facts” they believe are facts. But since the most important truth is unknown to them, they suffer from the results of their uninformed decisions. But do we go out of our way to share this truth? Do we care to save them from the difficulties they may encounter because they are unaware of the truth? Or are we too apathetic? Or are we too lazy? Or are we too selfish?
Sometimes we are so scared at what others will think if we shared the most important truth in this world. We are too scared of how other people would react if we boldly reach out. But as renowned revivalist (and my favorite foreign [non-Filipino] composer) Keith Green had said, “… what are you giving them in return? A cool friendship? I’d rather have people hate me at the knowledge that I tried to save them.”
What if they reject the truth, the truth you have dared share with them? That is their choice, they are free to do so, they are free to believe or not to believe you. But they will reap the results of their decisions. At least, they had an informed decision. At least, they were given a fair chance. At least, you did your responsibility. You cannot make their decision for them. You can only give them the information they need, in the hopes that they will make the wise decision. And if they don’t, they will reap the results of their decisions. But whether or not they do, you will reap the results of your own decisions, whether your decision was to share the truth that you know, or selfishly, apathetically, cowardly, keep it to yourself.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2006, August 4, 10:45 pm)
