Doing the Right Thing

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:13-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Doing the right thing is always the right thing!! I know that sounds cliche but it's true. You can't expect a good harvest from rotten seeds sown. Jesus said it this way: ““A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:33-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬ There are no minced words in what He said. Jesus said it like it is!!! It is utterly disturbing to me when people who have lived wickedly expect life to be good for them. Now this doesn't mean that the righteous man doesn't have hardships. In fact, living righteous in an ungodly society will get you criticized, marginalized, scandalized, and ostracized. Doing what pleases God takes wisdom and courage. We must not allow the tone of the culture to affect our character. We MUST act like Jesus, even under pressure. There is an outstanding result that comes from our devotion. God is glorified, the cause of Christ advanced, and God's blessing comes upon us and our genealogy. Lets's choose to what's right even if it causes us to suffer in this temporary world. Let's live to live again (eternally)! Let's "give what we can't keep to gain what we can't loose" (Jim Elliot - martyred missionary).