Mowing The Lawn

            The other day, Becca made the off-handed comment that it was getting to be “lawn-mowing” weather again.  About a week later, she hinted that I should do it soon and I said that I would.  And, about a week after that, she asked me if I would mow the lawn.  That is when I remembered that we left the gas can in Oklahoma.  So, I told her that I would get a new gas can soon and then I would mow the lawn.  Well, I kept forgetting to get a gas can, but I kept saying that I would remember and get one and mow the lawn.  And, then it rained.  And, then we had our Gospel meeting.  And, finally, about a month after she originally asked me to, I got around to mowing the lawn.

            We know that the Lord hates lying (Proverbs 6:16-19).  In fact, it is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 12:22).  And, we know that anyone who is deceitful will not be in Heaven (Psalm 101:7; Revelation 21:8).  Christians, people who are trying to be more like Christ every day (John 14:6; Galatians 2:20) and trying to bring the word of truth to the sin-dark world (2 Timothy 4:2; Ephesians 4:15), are not to practice any deceit (Colossians 3:9-10).  We know all of this.

            What do we think of when we think of lying?  Do we think of a little child standing in the kitchen with a broken cookie jar lying at his feet nervously declaring that he didn’t do it?  Do we think of telling Grandma that, “Yeah, I really wanted body wash and tube socks for Christmas... for the fifth year in a row”?  Do we think of a husband telling his wife that dinner was delicious?  Do we think of a wife telling her husband that she’ll be ready in “five minutes”?  Do we think of an employee who tells his boss “Yeah, I’ll get right on that” without any intention of getting right on it?  Do we think of cheating on a test or assignment at school or at work?  Do we think of cheating on a spouse?  Do we think of “cheating” on our Lord?

            Lying is more than telling “little white lies.”  It’s even more than saying something you don’t mean.  Lying is pride.  Whether a person lies because they don’t want to suffer some loss or because they know it is what the other person wants to hear or because they think the truth will hurt someone’s feelings, lying always comes down to putting oneself above everyone else, putting oneself above the truth, even putting oneself above the Lord and His infinite wisdom.  And, to put it plainly, that is something no one has the right to do.

            The long and the short of it is this: the Lord has told us to make our “yes” to mean “yes” and our “no” to mean “no” (Matthew 5:37).  For us to do so is obedience.  It is humility (Philippians 2:3-4).  It is love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).  It is what is best for everyone (Matthew 7:7-12).  And, it is what we must do at all times, at all costs. 

            So, let us hate lying (Psalm 119:163) and let us put to silence lying lips (Psalm 31:18).  Instead, let us speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) with each other (Ephesians 4:25).  Let us always mean what we say and do what we say we’re going to do (Matthew 5:37); let’s “mow that lawn,” so to speak.  And, let us do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

~Curtis Carwile

“Before My Eyes”

                        David, that man of great faith (Hebrews 11:32) and man with a heart like God’s (1 Samuel 13:14), is such a great example for us in many ways.  And, with that in mind, notice what he says in Psalm 101: “I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.  I will behave wisely in a perfect way.  Oh, when will You come to me?  I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.”  In short, David said that he would have no association with wickedness, but that he would praise his God in wise and righteous living. 

            Every single day, we are bombarded with thousands of invitations to engage in wickedness in one form or another.  This is especially the case when we turn on the television or surf the internet or go to the movies or even open a magazine.  How many commercials use lust to “recommend” their product to you (1 John 2:15-17)?  How many movies or television shows or popular songs say nothing against fornication be it pre-marital, extra-marital, or homosexual (Hebrews 13:4)?  How many of them actually condone and endorse those things (Romans 1:28-32)?  How many popular songs throughout the ages encourage drinking and drunkenness (1 Peter 4:1-6)?  How many popular songs encourage youthful rebellion (Hebrews 3:15)?  How many television shows, movies, songs, and so on use foul language for dramatic or comedic effect (Ephesians 4:29)?  How many dirty jokes are found littered throughout all of it (Ephesians 5:1-6)?  We don’t know the answer to these questions because the truth of the matter is that the number is almost too high to count.  There is so much wickedness that Satan is purposefully setting before our eyes (2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Peter 5:8). 

            It is with all of this in mind that I offer to you, those who wish to be in Heaven with the Lord when this existence is no more, three passages for consideration.

            In First Thessalonians 5:21-22, Paul says this: “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”  Also, in Colossians 3:1-2, Paul says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things of the earth.”  And, finally, in Ephesians 2:10, Paul informs us that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” 

            When we consider that we are commanded to not have any association with anything that even has the appearance of evil, and consider that we need to rather let our minds dwell on the holy and high things of God, AND consider the work God has for us to do, how can we NOT say what David said?  How can we NOT say of ourselves: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes... I will not know wickedness”?  How can we NOT say of ourselves: “I will behave wisely in a perfect way... with a perfect heart”?

            There are so many things trying to influence us for evil and trying to distract us from doing good.  If we ever do look on them, then let it be for the purpose of seeing the vanity and foolishness of those things.  But, even better than that, let us not even bother with those things.  Rather, let us always be all about the Lord and His things to His everlasting glory (Matthew 6:33; Psalm 41:13).

~Curtis Carwile