Avoiding the Useless

Before taking any action, the believer must assess its possible result. He must anticipate its consequences. His response to any situation must be rational and wellconsidered and not simply an emotional outburst. This principle includes all kinds of human expressions and activities like thinking, discussion, dealing, association, shopping, outings, reading, etc. A believer must adopt this kind of behaviour in every aspect of his life, both in word and in deed. It is a fact that we are on this planet earth for a limited time. Our lifespan being so very short, we cannot afford the luxury of wasting time and energy; we have to be very prudent. We have to select only such targets about which we can say with certainty that in the end they will yield the required result. No excuse in this regard is acceptable. When you use your mind, use it on healthy subjects; when you speak, say whatever is good for you and good for others; when you are going to take a step, examine all the relative aspects. If there is any possibility that your step will prove to be counter-productive, then refrain from taking it. A wise man always differentiates between a positive response and a negative reaction, between a realistic approach and an emotional approach. He invariably adopts a result-oriented policy. Jumping into things without assessing the result is a habit that only fools can afford, for