“Why be good?” he asked. Before I could respond, he answered his own
question: “I guess it’s because I can’t have any fun if I’m good.
Everything ‘good people’ do is boring at best. It’s like living in a
cell in a prison. The good times are beyond me.”
Here are three basic reasons to “be good.”
The first comes from “looking inside.” Self-respect, for a Christian,
comes from honoring the “gift of life” God has given us. Our “life” is a
gift from God. What we do with our “life” is our gift to God. If we are
careless or foolish with the habits we cultivate in the way we live, we
put our entire lives at risk. This may result in our being unable to
fulfill the plan that God has designed for us. Any self-imposed physical
“damage” limits our usefulness to God. Care for our bodies, as
reflected in a healthy lifestyle, is a priority for the Christian who
sincerely wants to serve the Lord.
The second is “looking at.” Others are constantly watching everything
we do for two reasons. First, they want to know if we are sincere about
our faith. Do we live lives that reflect God’s teachings that are in
His Word? And, second, does our faith “work.” Does God make a difference
in the way we treat others? Do our lives reflect a sense of peace and
satisfaction? Where’s the joy?
The third is “looking down.” Is God satisfied with our lives? Are we
“doing right”? We are all accountable to Him. One day we will stand
before Him in judgment and hear what He has to say about the way we have
lived.
Prayer: Lord, it’s not about us, it is about You. May our lives be as You designed them to be – for Your sake. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Scripture for Today: Psalm 14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
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