Today's Reading:
Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1,2; Acts 4
Scripture
“‘But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 2:8)
Observation
Recently, I overheard a conversation between a foul-mouthed teenager and his supervisor. When he was asked to refrain, he defiantly replied to the restaurant manager, “Hey, I ain’t hurtin’ nobody.” However, that is not true. We don’t live in a vacuum or live as isolated units. What we do affects everyone else.
God spoke to the people of Israel: “… you have turned from the way and, by your teaching, have caused many to stumble.”
We all must become more cognizant of how we affect people around us. God is not talking about being driven by what others think of you. No. He is talking about us being aware that how we live, even in private, will affect others.
Application
It is not just by how we perform under the footlights. It is who we are on the inside. Character is defined by who we are in the shadows … when no one is watching. It’s what drives our decisions, our words, our attitudes. If we are not compelled by a deep love and respect for God, it will show in everything we do.
By the way, that combination (deep love and respect for God) is what the Bible defines as the “fear of God.” Both, the psalmist, David (Ps. 111:10) and his son, Solomon (Prov. 9:10) say that: “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”
So, where was the beginning of the slide for the Israelites? Here it is … “You have turned from the way.” The way of what? The ways of God. His principles, His priorities, His instructions. His Word gives us the foundational starting point of life … not the reach point. His Word gives us the beginnings, the unquestionable core values of our hearts, not the begrudging duty that a Christian has to comply with. It’s never a “have-to.” It is always a “get-to!”
Prayer
Father, Your ways must be my delight - not my penalty. It must be my first choice, not my last resort. Help me to embody this attitude in my day-to-day life.
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