“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
We have been anticipating and preparing for a special event…and today is the day for which we have prepared. We have some very dear friends coming from ‘up north’ to visit for a few days. We have known them for decades and eagerly await their arrival. Proof of our affection has been evident for weeks. But has it been enough?
When we go to our ‘cabin’ in the mountains, one of the FIRST things I do is to run next door and greet my friends. Our place up there is nice… but it is old and strictly used for vacations. They know it, so do we. But they are now coming to our HOME. And apparently to my wife, that makes a big difference.
We have built a Murphy bed, arranged the house, cleaned and primped the inside and out. Yesterday I found out my OWN level of commitment when, after cleaning the pool, I saw a gum-wrapper sized piece of paper at the bottom. Having just put away the pole, I found myself asking myself, “does that REALLY matter?” Before I could really THINK about it, I was already fetching the tool to retrieve the offending debris! I guess at gut level, it matters to me too!
There has been an argument about verse 22 forever. Common thought translates it, “avoid even the APPEARANCE of evil.” Which goes like this…’don’t even go NEAR a bar or a strip club because you will be guilty of sin.’ I have read commentaries that ‘bad’ that ‘minton’ back and forth to determine just how close… is NEAR? I guess in my own sinfully honest mind, I have to admit that ANY argument is simply a search for permission!
I will never forget the time, as a kid, that I saw a church deacon smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer! It was not a church function, but made a HUGE negative impression upon me anyway. And even though neither of those actions are grounds for hell, my inner heart and opinion of that person was changed. EVEN though ‘I’ have done worse!
I guess the question becomes, “how far can I go before I go too far?” And “do appearances REALLY matter?” I know my friends couldn’t care less about that piece of paper in the pool. But something deep inside makes ME care. So out of love and respect, I fetched!
My number 1 in life is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit resides within me at all times. What I think and do reflects EXACTLY how much I really love and appreciate our relationship. And while HIS love for ME has FORGIVEN me of ALL uncleanliness, I just can’t avoid the deep down conviction that, when it comes to The King, appearances really DO matter.
How do YOU see it?
