The American Heart Association reports that 12 percent of American adults fail to fill some prescriptions; 12 percent don’t take a medication after bringing it home; 22 percent take a smaller dosage than prescribed; and nearly 30 percent stop taking their medicine before it runs out — and analysts believe that surveys underestimate nonadherence because some patients lie about whether they’re taking their drugs.
The end result: a deadly toll. A 2011 study jointly produced by the American Society on Aging and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists concluded that missed medications contribute to as many as 125,000 deaths annually and cost the nation’s health system $100 billion per year.
So, tell me, who would you say is responsible for the 125,000 deaths and $100 million in costs? A reasonable person would say the individual people who didn’t follow instructions.
What is the cost in lives and money in the following areas: alcoholism, out of wedlock pregnancies, drug abuse, overeating, infidelity, theft, lying, or simply wanting what is not ours?
Do these activities end lives? Do they destroy families? Do they cost needless millions of dollars a year? Of course they do. Do you know why?
People are not following the instruction manual. Which one, you ask. The instruction manual for living put out by the manufacturer of life… God. I know, I know this sounds boring and tedious, but so does reading, learning, and following all detailed instruction manuals. We don’t want to be bothered. We think that we don’t need to follow it… because we are smart enough to figure it out ourselves.
I suggest the consequences suggest otherwise. Our Creator God knows what is best for us. He knows what is good for us.
I suggest to you that if your life is not where you wanted it to be – if you are burdened with the weight of your wrong choices and foolish decisions, that the best and long lasting solution is to go to the rule book.
The nice thing is you don’t really have to master the whole thing. If you simply read up on and learn from the life of Him who did only and exactly what the Heavenly Creator wanted Him to do, you would be making a good start.
Read the 4 Gospels and just watch and learn. it might take you a week or so, but it could change your entire future…now and forever.
Jim