A POSSIBILITY: TO MEAN RIGHT AND STILL GO WRONG

“For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully” (1 PETER 2:19)

There are areas in our Christian lives where in our effort to be right we may go wrong—so wrong as to lead to spiritual deformity.

 

To be specific, let me name a few:

 

When in our determination to be bold we become brazen! Courage and meekness are compatible qualities. Both were found in perfect proportion in Christ, even in conflict with His enemies.

 

When in our desire to be frank we become rude! Candor without rudeness was always found in the man Christ Jesus. The Christian who boasts that he calls a spade a spade is likely to end by calling everything a spade.

 

When in our effort to be watchful we become suspicious! Because there are many adversaries the temptation is to see enemies where none exist, or to develop a spirit of hostility to everyone who disagrees with us.

 

When we seek to be serious and become somber! Gloominess is a defect of character and should never be equated with godliness. Joy is a great therapeutic for the mind.

 

When we mean to be conscientious and become overscrupulous! If the devil cannot succeed in destroying the conscience, he will settle for making it sick. I know Christians who live in a state of constant distress, fearing that they may displease God. They believe this self-torture to be a proof of godliness, but how wrong they are!

 

  1. W. Tozer