Everyone has their purpose for being here. It’s possible to fail at your purpose, or maybe only hit some of the high points. Some people accomplish their purpose in life early on. Other people get kept around for longer, for whatever reason.
Our actions cause ripples, like rocks being thrown into a lake. The ripples affect other people. We need to make sure those ripples are good ripples, not bad ripples. Some ripples vanish in moments. Some ripples last for years. Other ripples continue to affect people for multiple lifetimes. We’re held accountable for the impact we have on other people, for the good and for the bad. Sometimes, we affect other people by not causing ripples at the right time.
The Church tells people, “These are the kinds of actions that separate you from God. Let’s discourage them, because they’re dangerous. These are the kind of actions that bring you closer to God. Let’s encourage them, because they’re good.” As a whole, humanity is pretty much limited by their senses, and is generally pretty short-sighted. We need rules like “don’t run with scissors or you’ll hurt yourself” or “don’t play in the street or you’ll get run over.” That doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone who runs with scissors will get hurt, or everyone who plays in the street will get run over. But it’s generally prudent to avoid those situations, because the chances of Bad Stuff Happening increase each time you indulge in risky behavior.
