People who succeed in love and life rarely act without considering its future implications. Tell someone the time and you might end up marrying off your son or daughter to someone who doesn't own a watch. Life is a slippery slope.

Most people think about the future of their decisions somewhat but people who do well in life tend to think that way all the time in matters large and small.

 You learn to see everything as a link in a larger chain. Your individual steps can either wander aimlessly or they move in a direction with an ultimate destination.

 In other words, you “play the movie.” Any action you take or behavior you exhibit is one scene. To really understand your actions, you play it out all the way to the end of the movie.

 As children we learn, “Play now, pay later or Pay now, play later.” We teach this to a six-year old. How much better our adult lives would be if we were able to live it out ourselves.

Three years from now, where would you like to be? Playing the movie enables you to realistically count the cost but at the same time also provides a glimpse of the possible ending. The ending can fill you with enough hope and courage to make the cost worthwhile.

 Being prepared, counting the cost, playing the movie is sound Biblical teaching. Then we learn to trust in God for the rest.

 Learning to play the movie, to count the cost, is not the only answer to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. There are scenes in the movie, you do not get to choose for yourself. There are costs that catch you unawares.

 Life happens but you can choose how you respond within the scene itself.

 Clark and Superman