The freedom to choose is a precious gift that countless millions across the globe do not have. Our prisons and jails are filled with men and women who made bad and destructive choices that eventually led to their being incarcerated in places where their choices are shrunken to a shadow of what they once had been. Hundreds of thousands have forfeited to various addictions their freedom to choose. I talked today with people whose bodies have been weakened by age and illness. Their freedom to choose is proscribed by the physical limitations
with which they must live. Poverty has robbed others of the ability to choose a better place to live, or a better school for their children. Sin has darkened peoples' hearts and twisted their thinking, leaving them prisoner to false beliefs that hold them in bondage to their own illusions.
Around the world, false religions, demonic philosophies, and oppressive political systems enslave those unfortunate enough to have been born under their sway. Bondage is a sad fact of life for millions.
Yesterday I received a call from the hearing aid office, telling me my new devices are (finally!) in. This was good news! Could I come in at 3:00 to get fitted? You bet! So at 2:50 I walked in the door and was ushered into the office. We sat down and he asked me if I had noticed a hearing loss in the mid registers. I said that I had, and reminded him that the report from the audiologist that I had given him the month before indicated such. He surprised me with his next statement.
"The devices here will work just fine, but I think you would be much better off with a different set that won't cost you any more. I can send these back and order them if you want."
"You're the expert in this," I replied. "But if you thought the others would be better, why didn't you order them the first time?"
"I just didn't think of it." was his chagrined reply. My confidence in him is beginning to erode. Then came question number two. "Did the company representative tell you about the $75 examination fee?"
"Yes, they did. But they said it might not be necessary if I had already had a current audiological report, which I gave you the first time I came in."
"Well, they asked me if I had charged you that $75, and when I said I had not, they said I had to do so."
"Really? That's not what they told me. I came to you with the audiological exam. That should have been enough."
"Well, I did do an exam with you."
Technically, he was right. But it was the most cursory audio exam I've ever had, and in my opinion, completely unnecessary since he had in his hands at the time a comprehensive report from my audiologist. I called the hearing aid company today, but my representative was unavailable. Their website says, "Note: Cost-controlled hearing exam fee not to exceed $75, if necessary." That doesn't sound to me quite as demanding as he indicated. If as I suspect, the $75 exam was not mandated, Mr. Hearing Aid Man and I will have a little conversation about integrity. And that is where the freedom to choose will kick in. I am grateful tonight that I have more than one option. Tomorrow, I might just exercise it.
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