Proverbs 21
Is it a joy for you to live justly? When I think of justice, I immediately am reminded of athletics. Many years ago, there was a commercial running by The Foundation for a Better Life promoting the #PassItOn sportsmanship campaign. A youth basketball team is in the championship game and the ref calls an incorrect turnover but Alex, the player who actually hit it out, tells his coach “I touched it”. His teammates start ragging on him to get him to quiet down, but he knew the just thing to do. He went and told the ref and had the call reversed.
You see in these silent situations, our character is tested. Are you going to do the right thing or quietly do the thing you know you ought not do. I think of situations in school when the innocent loner is getting relentlessly bullied. If you say something, the crosshairs are now on you. Are you going to do the right thing and step in or quietly allow the injustice to continue? Maybe you are at work and you find the paper trail of a coworker stealing money from the company. Do you stay quiet or do you do the just thing and turn them in? “But It’s a huge corporation! The rich just always get richer! They won’t notice it’s even gone!” How would you like it if someone took it from you? Treat others as you would want to be treated.
Not only is it a joy to live justly, but it’s a joy to not come to destruction as the workers of iniquity do. Sin must be punished. The question is who is going to pay the punishment? If you don’t trust in Jesus, the one who bought you at a price by paying for your sin on the cross, then you will pay the just punishment by spending eternity in Hell. The beautiful thing about Jesus is that God’s mercy and justice cross perfectly in His atoning work. Sin is punished while we don’t get what we deserve. His grace is shown by offering us the free gift of salvation by trusting in Him. I want to leave you with Proverbs 21:3, “To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” God wants your heart more than He wants your religion. Continue to abide in Him.