Do The Right Thing

Good Morning!!!

Several years ago, my Mother (Grandma Leta) gave a picture album to me. In it are pictures of my relatives from years ago – for example, pictures of my Grandfather Ward and his brothers as boys, taken around 1884 in Lincolnton Georgia. There is a copy of one of my Mother and Father at their wedding. And there is a picture of Grandma Leta, Aunt Jane and Aunt Bette as youngsters (in the 1930s). Grandma Ward and Granddaddy Ward are in that particular picture – and it isn’t one of my favorites because Grandma Ward looks stern, if not mad. I much prefer the later pictures when the cares of the world had softened and she was more at peace.

You know, I still recall Grandma Ward’s voice – even though she has been gone for more than thirty years. I can still hear her telling me – almost pleading with me to “do the right thing”. Doing the right thing was very important to Grandma Ward. Actually, doing the right thing is important to me, too. You see, Grandma could read me like a well worn novel. She knew that I would try to wiggle my way out of a mess rather than face up to the consequences of my actions. So she reminded me that doing the right thing was the right way to go. And it mostly stuck.

One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from when God is frustrated with His people. He recognizes they are just going through the motions of honoring Him – and it angers Him. But He loves His people. Here is the Scripture for your consideration:

Isaiah 1:1-20 (English Standard Version)
Isaiah 1
1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken:
"Children[a] have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.
3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
4Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.
5Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.
7 Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.8And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.
9 If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.
10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching[b] of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
12"When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
13Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.15When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
18"Come now, let us reason[c] together, says the LORD:though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 1:2 Or Sons; also verse 4
b. Isaiah 1:10 Or law
c. Isaiah 1:18 Or dispute

In other words … do the right thing.

Sunday we celebrate the signing of the document that declared our independence from British rule. Our nation was founded by men who believed in God and in striving to do the right thing. In the two hundred thirty-four years that have passed, we have made many mistakes – but we continue to try to do the right thing as a nation. Let us pray that our nation will once again begin to rely upon our Lord for its direction. To do otherwise will lead to our demise.

Have a good and safe holiday weekend. God bless and protect you. And God bless our United States of America.


Agape’

Mr. Jim