Doing the Right Thing

“Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you. Then you will enter and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to give your ancestors.” (Deuteronomy 6:18).

It isn’t easy for a teenager to stand up for what is right or to do the right thing these days. In fact, some of us feel it is easier to go with the flow of whatever is popular at the time or just avoid the issue altogether. The "If-you-can't-beat-them-join-them" attitude. Sadly, this attitude is what usually leads to a culture that creates weak, misguided, and apathetic people.

In Genesis 39, Joseph was sexually harassed by his master's wife but he put his foot down on what was right. When the push got to shove, Joseph ran from the room she’d cornered him into, leaving his coat behind. I’ve heard and read some people say he was crazy for running away from such a proposition. Here was a slave boy, far away from home, in a strange country, turning his back on his biggest ticket yet to comfort, luxury and freedom. But Joseph knew what was right, and he stood by it. For that, he was immeasurably blessed by God.

As believers, we have been called to do right and to do right at all times in all circumstances wherever we are. Many Christians have yielded to the peer pressure from friends, family, work, school, society, and even fellow believers. We need believers today who will commit to doing the right thing regardless of whether or not anyone else does.

Do right because it is right.

1 Peter 1:16 tells us to “...Be ye holy; for I am holy.” God is Holy and does only that which is right. Because He would judge the whole earth, it behoves on Him to do the right thing (Genesis 18:25) and as children of God, we are to bear the family resemblance.

Do right for the right reasons.

Some people do right out of fear of punishment. Aristotle observed that, “Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love” but Hebrews 2:15 has prayed a profound prayer to this effect - “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage”. If we obey God solely from a sense of fear, then of a truth, we will never know the joy of obedience. We are to do the right thing because of our love for God. 1 John 5:3 spells it out for us - “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

Some others do the right thing out of pride. They desire to be acknowledged and appreciated so their right deeds are made public. So, any action that will not command public commendation is a no-no. But Matthew 6:1-2 tells us thus: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward”.

Do right for God’s glory

When we desire to do right because it is right, we would seek to obey God because we love Him. This brings Him glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 enjoins us thus: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” It is all about pleasing God. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Many of us do not know who puts on our street lights every day. The officer responsible for this task goes about the business to put on the lights, not to make himself seen. It doesn’t matter if people don’t take notice of them or pay scant attention to what they do. The important thing is to make them take notice of their light which becomes very useful as they navigate their way in the dark. We do not need to seek to be noticed by men, but to make positive impact.

You cannot do wrong to do right.

Apostle Paul preached thus in Romans 3:8 where he was falsely accused of saying, “Let us do evil that good may come.” He was justly and thoroughly condemning the philosophy of ‘the end justifying the means’. We do not have the right to do what God said is wrong regardless of what we think or the reasoning behind our actions.

Remember that King Saul in 1 Samuel 13:6-14 took it upon himself to perform a task that was reserved strictly for priests. When Prophet Samuel confronted him in outrage, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

This was just the beginning. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel rebuked Saul again. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Proverbs 21:3 says: “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”

Do right because you know is right to do.

James 4:17 says: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Doing right means doing what God says is right not what we or others feel is right.

Deuteronomy 12:8 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes.” Being holy, as God commands His children to be, does not consist merely in doing nothing wrong, but also in doing ALL that is right.

Exodus 15:26 “And said, ‘If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep ALL his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.’”

Deuteronomy 12:28 "Observe and obey ALL these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.”

Do right no matter the cost.

There’s this quote from an unknown source. It says, "Wrong is wrong – even if everyone is doing it. Right is right – even if no one is doing it." Proverbs 1:10 warns, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” We must do right regardless of who applies pressure. We have a choice though: We can either do right regardless of what others are doing or we can follow what the world is doing. Most Christians would rather go with the flow of the world than stand up for the Word of God but 1 Peter 3:17  tells us that : “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

We should also always do right regardless of the results. Our decision to do right should be apart from the results. If right turns out wrong, it is still right to do right. 2 Chronicles 25:1-2 tells us about a young king. “Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.” We are to live in full obedience to the Lord Who has redeemed us.

Conclusion

So, whether we are dealing with ethical issues at school, in the neighbourhood and at work or moral issues with friends and family, we should not be afraid to stand up for what we know is right. It may be difficult, but it will be worth it. Today, people of all ages are being booed and jeered for doing the right thing. It seems to be fashionable and rewarding to play the “bad guy” but as believers, we must be strengthened by God's word and be determined to take a stand to do right!

Theodore Hesburgh, an American an educator and author said thus: “My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right”.