Friday, February 3, 2022

Listen to the Word

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.  (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Our Scripture reminds us that God holds us accountable for all we do - even the deeds that no one else sees. You do a really dumb thing, and you think to yourself, "well, at least nobody will ever know." Or you spend time praying for someone, but you think, "it's too bad nobody will ever find out about this." But in fact, God always sees what we think is secret.

We tend to do what is right when it helps our reputation, or when it allows us to avoid negative consequences. Ecclesiastes says we will be happier if we stop performing for a human audience. We should strive to do the right thing all the time, even if we think no one else sees, because God always does see.

Live the Word

Spend a moment praying for a specific hurting friend. Keep that prayer between you and God, resisting the urge to report on it to the friend or to someone else.