Do the Right Thing.

Here's a little truth for today. It's a challenging one, but it's been my reminder this week. It's from James 4:17 and I'm going to give it to you in a couple translations.

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (NLT)
 "In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil." (MSG)

This truth speaks for itself and I bet that just reading it we all will have a completely personal and unique application to it. For me it was one of just a few reminders to recognize and listen to God's voice. Then to actually follow through and obey it!

I was also told a crazy story this week from a close friend, to sum it up: her husband had felt strongly urged to search for and find his estranged half-brother to reconcile with him. Both he and his sister were in agreement that they needed to find him and once again share their love, forgiveness and try to restore relationship and ultimately share the hope they've found in Christ with him. Right before he was going to go public with this declaration that he would find his brother and ask for accountability. He received news that his brother had died. They found his obituary. One of the take-aways from this tragic story was that delayed obedience is disobedience. We can't keep putting off the important things in life, especially when they are God-given directives.

Hearing this story finally pushed me over the edge of following through with two different things I knew I "ought to do". It was like lifting a weight off my shoulders by following through and doing what I knew I was supposed to. I like how The Message version says if you "don't do it, that, for you, is evil."

Then Cole shared a story at Vintage (Oxygen small group) how when he was in the middle of such a struggle to forgive someone, when he had every "right" to be bitter, angry, distrustful, etc. Every one of you if you heard the scenario would agree that he had the "right" to feel those things and even to respond in that manner. But he so clearly heard God speak to him,

"Righteous men do what is right, not what they have the right to do."

I'll leave you with that.
We follow in Jesus' example of laying down our "rights" and doing what truly is right, and it's not always easy.

Labels: ,