Follow that which is good!

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

When I was a teenager I once earned the title, "Cut-down Queen" because of my quick sarcasm.  I had a mouth on me and my tongue was only bridled when I was at home near my parents.  I let people know what I thought of them and there wasn't anything a kid could say to me that I didn't have a sarcastic come back in response.  It created a terrible habit in me that I found hard to break once I got saved.  Even now, if I said or wrote half the mean things that run through my mind on occasion I doubt I would have a friend left in this world.  So imagine when someone wrongs me what my first response wants to be.  I'll give you a hint, it isn't forgiveness.  It is more along the lines of revenge or clobbering.

Last week I had a really bad day where I was fighting this particular area of this sinful nature of mine and I decided it would be best to just be alone and pray.  If I couldn't pray, I could at least keep my tongue from inflicting harm!  Out of the blue a friend from Brooklyn messages me to tell me what an encouragement I am to her.  I looked at my phone and chuckled, thinking, "if she only knew how rotten I truly am!"  We spent the next bit of the evening talking and sharing our shortcomings and both appreciated the "realness" of the other.  No one is perfect and it felt good to know I was not alone in my plight. 

God wants us to follow after "that which is good" so I believe as He saw me struggling to follow after what was right, He prompted my New Yorker friend to help me escape my temptation to brood over my sins.  His justice and love overcome every time and we should take advantage of it and allow Him to work in our lives. 

There is a man in the Bible who took advantage of God's justice, not for himself, but for a large group of people who had wronged him.  His name was Aaron.  Look at what the Bible tells about him.

Numbers 16:41-50 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

The day before all this happened a man named Korah and his followers and family all died because they didn't take holiness seriously and had allowed pride to make them wag their tongues against Moses and Aaron.  You would think the surviving people who had witnessed Korah's death would have turned their faces towards God and been in a penitent mood. Instead, they must have hardened their hearts because they rise up against Moses and Aaron and blame them for what has happened.  Moses knows God is about to kill all of them if he doesn't act fast, so he tells Aaron to run and make atonement for the people.  Now, if I had been Aaron, I wonder if I would have said, "No way, these people are too stupid for their own good, let them all go to the boogie man!"  Thankfully, Aaron followed after that which is good and he RAN to make atonement and puts his own life at risk by running into the midst of all those people who were dying and God stays the plague.  Wow.  This was a man who put his own selfish flesh aside for others.

So, as God is teaching me (again) to never render evil for evil, I decided to write about it.  Maybe by my shortcomings and Aaron's wonderful example of doing right, you will be encouraged to put a bridle on your own tongue.  When someone says something or does something that makes you want to return the favor, just know how rotten you will feel after because you didn't obey the Lord.  He wants us to take advantage of His justice which is perfect and if someone really did hurt us, God will take care of it.  And if it was all in our head, then He will take care of US. 

The moment we let that bitter spirit rule, we are in disobedience to God.  It doesn't matter what the other person has done.  God is very clear on what we are to do.  Don't believe me?  Then read the following verses (if your pride will let you) and make up your own mind.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Have you been despitefully used?  Pray for and love them.....these words are in red because YOUR Saviour taught them!

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. He commands us to love our neighbor...not just those in the house next door, but those we are in contact with in our lives daily.  We all want to tout our love for Him because we are against homosexuality and abortion, but do we love that person in our lives that is against us in some way or has hurt one of our own children?  We can't pick and choose when to love or obey.  It has to be all the time.  (VERY hard for this mama bear, but not impossible) 

Psalms 119:80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

Until next time, Lord willing,
Sheri