Thought for Today

“Depart from evil, and do good”
Psalm 34:15

There is a simplicity to the heavenly life. Its ways are easy to find and the benefits are many. However, as with any journey, there is a departing from one place in order to reach another.

“Depart from evil…”

One must leave where one is in order to reach another destination. To “do good” one must “depart from evil”. It is not possible to habitually abide in darkness and yet expect to have the ability to do good. The Epistle of James asks the penetrating question:

“Doth a fountain send forth
at the same place sweet water and bitter?”
James 3:11

The answer of course is no. Those who speak good religious’ words and yet speak evil of a brother or sister reveal the inner spring of their hearts. Words are the outflow of who a person actually is; the seemingly “good” words are drowned out by the bitter and spiteful words. A fountain can only bring forth one kind of water, not two. It is as we depart from evil that we will find grace to cause the bitter to become sweet.

In the leaving of the evil and the cleaving to the good the heart and soul of every believer is transformed. Our journey of faith is one of travelling the “paths of righteousness”. It is a road filled with countless opportunities to grow in His righteousness and His goodness. The life of Jesus is set forth in the scriptures as one who went about doing good; those in whom He is living cannot keep His goodness from shining forth. Doing good is the result of becoming good in Christ. So let His light shine in our speech and in our works

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost
and with power: who went about doing good…”
Acts 10:38

Brian Troxel