Saturday 13 December 2014

What is right





Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.                                                                                                                                                 Rom. 12.17                


Even now, with the consciousness I have of the “right” way to behave as a Christian and the growing desire to live to please and delight God, I still react inappropriately in some situations. I think of yesterday’s drive when a foolishly ambitious driver cut in on me at the last minute. We narrowly missed colliding, and I expressed my displeasure with a sudden, sharp use of the horn. I think my blood pressure was elevated for a little while afterward.

This was, perhaps, a minor event, but it illustrates how careful I need to be if I want to live as He would have me live. There could be other, more serious, happenings – situations that might contain varying degrees of evil. I might well be tempted to counter evil with evil, and even contemplate a response of increased evil. This is simply not on! Oh dear, I have quite a way to journey yet!

How, then, should I respond? Paul encourages me to carefully do what is right in the eyes of everybody. I believe I need to be careful here, for what may appear right, or acceptable, to some may not be morally the best thing to do or, indeed, the honouring action or word. I think I’ll look on my response as what is right in God’s eyes. He has everyone’s wellbeing at heart, and I will not go wrong if I seek to do right by Him. I note also Paul’s counsel to “be careful”. This tells me to act with care – to show care in my reaction and response for those concerned. What a contrast this makes to the more usual human behaviour!


Lord God,
I apologise for those times when I don’t react or respond in the right way. I ask Your forgiveness, and I pray for guidance and for God-given caution when a situation arises where I’m likely to respond inappropriately. Remind me, please, of the right way to be. Thank You.                                                                                                                                                     Amen.

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