Do Not Take The Easy Way Out

9 Dec

Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on his law day and night.  (Ps 1:1-2)

Why does one follow the counsel of the wicked or walk in the way of sinners or sits in the company of the insolent?  Why?  Quite simply, because it is often the easier thing to do.

If we judge merely through human eyes, doing the wrong thing is easier because we do not have to work.  We do what we want, take what we want, act however we want and do not worry about how it affects others.  All we care about is ourselves.

If we attempt to act rightly, it means that we may have to make sacrifices, we might have to do something difficult, we may have to do something that we would rather not do.  Thinking merely as a selfish human, who would want to do that?

Ah, but the Psalmist reminds us that we are not blessed at all if we take the path of the sinner.  We are blessed if we embrace God’s law.

Embracing and acting upon God’s law may have us saying and doing things that are against our baser human nature.  However, acting upon God’s law, ultimately, will lead us to the Kingdom.

Jesus once said that the road to the Kingdom is narrow and that there are many who do not find it.  Why would we want to lose the opportunity to live with the Lord for eternity just for a few minutes, hours, days, or longer of gratification on earth?  Walking in the ways of the sinner may give us what we want immediately but it will not bring us what we need for eternity.

We have to ask ourselves, “What do I want?  Do I want immediate gratification?  Do I want whatever I want without regard for what it does to another?  Or, do I want to be with the Lord in heaven?

The answer to those questions will decide our course in this life.  The choice is yours this day:  walk in the way of sinners or be upright and embrace the laws of the Lord.

FAITH ACTION:  Ask God for the grace and the courage needed to do the right thing today, no matter how difficult it may be.