My Own Eyes

When we think of the book of Judges, the phrase "And every man did what was right in his own eyes" comes to mind. What we fail to reflect on far too often is that God is not describing the ungodly nations surrounding Israel, He is describing His people. For the ungodly--those who have no fear of the Lord--the commandments of God found in His Word are foolishness. The non-Christian naturally acts in his own self-interest, developing a code of conduct that suits his desires and wants--a code of ethics he can live with. But a culture declines when God's people begin to live by and support a system of ethics of their own making. And it comes in two different forms. One group we call Pharisees--they add their own "laws" to God's laws. One group instead of upholding God's laws because it makes them uncomfortable in the eyes of the culture in which they live, ignores or rationalizes God's commands to fit their comfort zone. Either way, the result is a powerless church, a church that lacks discernment. And I can tell I'm heading down that path when my first response is "Oh, I know people just like that." My first response must always be, "Search my heart, Lord. See if there be some wicked way in me." And there always is--from both sides of the problem. Then, comes the crucial step--confession and repentance. Yes, we are commandment to "test the spirits" and to lovingly confront the wayward saint, but the saint that needs to be examined and confronted first is me. Our culture is not declining because ungodly men are suddenly doing what is right in their own eyes. That's been going on since the beginning of time. The culture declines when God's people start to think and live that way. Then we become saltless salt and hidden lights. And the rottenness and darkness grow. I must begin today to examine myself. And I must do it every single day. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."