Articles
Why Not?
One day I watched as something came tumbling into our front yard. On closer inspection I saw it was a paper sack from a fast-food place. Prominently printed on it were these words: “Please Do Not Litter.”
So much for polite requests. It could be, of course, that this particular piece of trash had been properly disposed of, but somehow got loose and headed straight for my yard.
In view of the fact that litter laws are difficult to enforce, and most who litter are never caught, why then do some people never litter, even though they could probably get away with it? A more basic question is: what motivates people to do right when they could so easily do wrong?
In most cases one can lie and never get in trouble with the law. The same with gossip, profanity, immorality, and countless other forms of sinful behavior so prevalent in our day.
What kept Joseph from committing fornication with Potiphar’s wife when he had every opportunity to do so (Genesis 39)? What restrained David on two occasions from killing his enemy Saul when it would have been so easy (1 Samuel 24, 26)?
For both Joseph and David it was a powerful awareness of God that kept them from sin. It is also no coincidence that Jesus made reference to God in each of His three replies to Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10).
While some people may steer clear of certain sins out of fear of temporal consequences (getting an STD, being sued, going to jail, losing a job), for the Christian the motives for right conduct are stronger and purer.
. . . for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:8-10 NASB).
