Doing Wrong With Good Intentions

I am not legalistic but I do believe that wrong is wrong and right is right. We may try to understand the wrong actions of a person by trying to understand their motivation but it does not diminish the wrong of their actions. There is a lady in the news here who ended up causing the death of two people when she stopped in the middle of a highway to assist a family of ducks. Perhaps we can acknowledge there was no criminal intent but her actions robbed a family of a father and daughter and impacted a number of family, friends, and co-workers. Her actions were wrong. There is also the problem of intentionally doing something wrong for a good purpose.

Many people love the stories of Robin Hood, who stole from the rich to give to the poor. When we strip it of its romantic notions we are left with a group of armed bandits who threatened people to steal what did not belong to them. Their noble purpose does not matter when it involves wrong action. This was the situation with Moses who wanted to do something about the suffering of his people.

When Moses went out walking that day and he saw the abuse being inflicted on his people. It provoked in him a desire to do something about it. His desire was good but his actions were wrong and could not be honoured by Yahweh. Let's not get romantic about it, it wasn't an accident, he intentionally killed a man:

Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. (Exodus 2:12)

I doubt you and I would find ourselves in a situation where we would kill someone as a means to reach an end, but we may do other things that are just as ugly to our Lord. We may feel justified in destroying someone's reputation because we don't agree with something they said or did. We may cut corners, smudge our tax return a bit so we have more money to do good. We may lie to protect a friend or child. Whatever the motivation, wrong is still wrong.

You and I say we follow Jesus, so this means we should be following his example. Scripture says he did all things well. A simple example: Should the instrument of all Creation have to pay Roman tax? I wouldn't think so, but Jesus did because it was the right thing to do: Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. So why should we think we don't have to pay our government tax? Another example: The enemy offered Jesus several short cuts to avoid the cost of the cross but Jesus dismissed each one of them by putting the Father first. Perhaps he could have justified his actions with his good intentions, but wrong is wrong. The cross was the path he had to take and in obedience it is what he did.

It can be a real pain doing things the right way sometimes, but doing it the wrong way is always ugly and unacceptable to Father. He has purpose for his methods. If Moses had been allowed to lead an armed rebellion, the Lord would not have been revealed to the world and Israel would have kept all the glory for herself. They may have gotten their freedom but at the cost of how many lives and to what end? Without being the servants, the people of Yahweh they would have been a nation like any other nation and the world would not have known her Creator. Now just imagine what would have resulted if there had been no cross, no empty grave, no Holy Spirit.

Don't do short cuts. Don't try to do good by doing wrong. Take the long hard road. Do what is right no matter the cost. Allow Yahweh to accomplish what he wants to accomplish by walking in righteousness. Doing it right matters to how you will feel about things, your conscience, and to Yahweh's glory. Don't fall victim to the temptation of the easy way, the short cut, the fast solution. Follow Jesus and walk according to the example he set for us. To God by the glory!

In The Face Of A Bad Day, I Rejoice

How was your day yesterday? Rough? I've been there too. Sometimes it leaves you wondering where God was in it. Where are all those benefits we are suppose to have as the children of God?

I guess these questions are similar to those asked by the world: "If God is so loving, why do bad things happen?" Why are there earth quakes, tornadoes, floods, wars? The short and simple answer is that we have done this to ourselves. Bad things exist because the heart of man is self-centered and evil (that which is contrary to God). But what about God's children? Are we not suppose to be blessed?

Well, we are blessed but it is also good to note the words of Jesus here. He was speaking about one of the key foundations to understanding God's love but it gives us a greater picture of how God sees things:

But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. (Matthew 5:44-46)

Sometimes the rain is not such a blessing. Sometimes believers and non-believers stand in the same storms, face the same disasters, walk through the same valleys. The difference is, our God protects us and strengthens us as we go through it. When we have a bad day we need to praise our God because we have no idea how bad it could have been. We seem to be missing this in our understanding these days but it was not lost on the psalmists:

You, Lord, are my shepherd.
    I will never be in need.
2     You let me rest in fields
    of green grass.
You lead me to streams
of peaceful water,
3     and you refresh my life. (Psalm 23:1-3)

This as true today as during David's time. When we allow the Shepherd to lead us we receive good things and are in a place of peace and rest; no worries, fears or anxieties. That is where we are suppose to be in Jesus so that we learn to trust. It is in that place of trust that we are able to praise him on the bad days:

You are true to your name,
    and you lead me
    along the right paths.
4 I may walk through valleys
as dark as death,
    but I won’t be afraid.
You are with me,
    and your shepherd’s rod
    makes me feel safe. (vv. 3-4)

David certainly had his share of bad days but he saw them as mere shadows and there is no substance to shadows. No matter the storms, whatever fear they are trying to provoke in you, they are mere shadows, no substance.

If only we could capture the vision of this psalm, the peace, the trust, the righteous paths, then we would be able to accept God as our protector, especially on the bad days. Especially when things look dark. Especially when we don't have a clue which way to turn. It is not faith when we doubt God's promise to use everything for our benefit. It is not faith when we fear losing stuff and don't recognize his protection. It is not faith when we stare at the shadows and ignore the peaceful waters. It's only faith when we ignore the fears and rejoice in the peace. 

In the midst of the bad days, Jesus is there to encourage, strengthen, and defend us. In the midst of the storm he tells us to "trust". So, sing, dance, rejoice, be glad because God is good all the time and all the time God is good. No day is a bad day when you keep the promises of Jesus alive and well in your heart and mind.