What do the Marines, Army Rangers and Navy Seals do when they are in the drop zone in enemy territory? Answer…they do exactly what they had decided and trained to do before they got there.

In life, some of the greatest decisions you will make in your life need be made long before you have to make them.

What does this mean?  Ok, let’s start with an easy one. Let’s just say the opportunity to rob a bank comes up.  Silly example, right?  I would like to think we knew before we got to the bank lobby what we would do if ever tempted. Now, for the hard examples of temptations and their impact they have on our life…well, you already know the temptations I am talking about so enough said.

What am I driving at? Think of all the temptations to sin and the opportunities to do the wrong thing we see every day. If you haven’t decided before you get there, you could possibly make the wrong decision.

As many of you know, I was in the Navy, and because the Marine Corp needed to train people with my specialty (trust me, it wasn’t impressive), I was basically given over to the Marine Corp for five years. I  had to drill, march, shoot, sleep, eat, run, and basically do everything the Marines did while wearing Navy insignias on a Marine uniform.  One very very important fact that was drilled into our heads literally all day every day was to “be prepared.”

The Marine way of life is pretty good advice for some of life’s challenges and opportunities, but make no mistake, they always knew before they arrived what they would do when they arrived.

So for us, some decisions need to be made well in advance before the temptation that could have a lifelong effect. KT