During my time in the military, I served with the Army as a Logistics officer and was required to take an advanced tactics course. It was six weeks long and mine took place in February/March. We had a great instructor, a combat engineer, and at the start of the course he gave each of us a small playing card with a JOKER image on it. He told us that one day during the course, for whatever reason we will not have an assignment done, we could play that card. He suggested he would give us a do-over at a later time.
In week five, while on a field exercise, the instructor called upon a student to offer his tactical assessment of the area. This individual had been sick for a week but had refused to go to the MIR for treatment. His thinking was a little clouded and because of this, he decided this was the time to play his joker card. As the individual held his card in front of his face, the instructor calmly walked over to him, pulled a playing card from his binder that was four times larger than ours. On it was a figure with a black robe and a sickle; the symbol for death.
He looked at my classmate, slammed his card onto the ground and shouted – “there are no DO-OVERS in war – only death”.
No one had used their card up to this point as most expected it was a test about making the correct choices so that we would not put ourselves in a predicament so as to regret our actions later. The classmate was taken off the course that morning and had to wait two years to be course loaded again. In hindsight, this individual was probably thinking he should have gone to the MIR and got treated. He should have also realized we were on a senior tactics course in which excuses don’t allow us to make poor decisions.
Have you ever thought about your past and found yourself thinking “I wish I could DO OVER some choices I made? Have you thought, if I could do something over again, I would do this or that?
Our choices and behaviour can impact our lives, our families and even our communities. Most importantly it can affect our eternity. We can, however, choose to DO-OVER our choices and seek to do what is pleasing to God and those around us.
Paul speaks in the book of Romans about changing – addressing do-over when it comes to our actions and behaviours. He is telling us to think about our actions. “Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
End your day today reflecting on what you did and ask yourself is there anything I would like to DO-OVER.Then speak with your Father in heaven asking Him to forgive you and guide you to making better choices.