Whatever is Right

I have been thinking a lot about what is right, especially with the upcoming election so close at hand. On November 4th, the citizens of America will be voting on many proposals and political offices, including the next President of the United States. How do we know which answers to all of these questions are right?

Some people say that it is not a matter of what is right, but a matter of choice - choose what you want, what will make you happy or your life "better." Now, there are some questions to which there is no right answer like, "Do you want strawberry or chocolate ice cream?" or "What kind of car should I buy?" or "What color should I paint my house?" Depending on how you answer these questions, you could end up very satisfied or make a choice that you don't really like. If you don't like your choice, you may not like it or feel uncomfortable, or think your house is ugly, but the outcome of your decision has no affect on your relationship with God. The flavor of ice cream, kind of car or color of paint is not something God has an opinion about. So, there is no right answer to those questions.

However, God does speak strongly on certain topics and that is where right comes in. My simple definition of whatever is right is --pleasing to God; in line with the Word and will of God.

• Genesis 18:19, "For I [the Lord] have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
• Exodus 15:26, "He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.'"
• Psalm 19:8, "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."

I know the following list is long, but it reveals how we have taken what is right and made it into something connected to human standard, rather than God's. Reference: Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/right (accessed: October 28, 2008).
1.in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct.
2.in conformity with fact, reason, truth, or some standard or principle; correct: the right solution; the right answer.
3.correct in judgment, opinion, or action.
4.fitting or appropriate; suitable: to say the right thing at the right time.
5.most convenient, desirable, or favorable: Omaha is the right location for a meatpacking firm.
6.of, pertaining to, or located on or near the side of a person or thing that is turned toward the east when the subject is facing north (opposed to left ).
7.in a satisfactory state; in good order: to put things right.
8.sound, sane, or normal: to be in one's right mind; She wasn't right in her head when she made the will.
9.in good health or spirits: I don't feel quite right today.
10.principal, front, or upper: the right side of cloth.
11.(often initial capital letter) of or pertaining to political conservatives or their beliefs.
12.socially approved, desirable, or influential: to go to the right schools and know the right people.
13.formed by or with reference to a perpendicular: a right angle.
14.straight: a right line.
15.Geometry. having an axis perpendicular to the base: a right cone.
16.Mathematics. pertaining to an element of a set that has a given property when placed on the right of an element or set of elements of the given set: a right identity.
17.genuine; authentic: the right owner.

So, back to what is right in the Lord's eyes. It's really not that difficult to find and know what is right in the Lord's eyes.

• Deuteronomy 21:9 and 7 "So you will purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord." Asking God for forgiveness of the shedding of innocent blood, even though, "'Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done.'"
• 2 Kings 7:9 "Then they said to each other, 'We are not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let's go at once and report this to the royal palace.'" We cannot not wait until Jesus comes again to proclaim the Good News - do it now, even in these dark days, so that those without knowledge may find Him.
• Psalm 119:128, "and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path." We cannot be complacent and allow sin to be made into law.
• Proverbs 21:3, "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." We cannot just attend worship service and give our tithe to the church, but do nothing right in our community.
• Isaiah 1:16c-17, "Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
• Isaiah 51:7, "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrifired by their insults."
• Isaiah 58 speaks of how we think we are doing what is right by asking God for help, but yet not doing what is right to our fellow man. It tells us to "do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk" and "spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed." We can't just complain to each other or God when things are bad, but we must do something about the injustices we see.
• James 2:8, "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right."
• Throughout the New Testament Jesus speaks specifically about doing right. There is too much to list here, but you get the point, it is pretty easy to find out what God considers right.
• And, it is also just as easy to discover exactly what God thinks is not right.

So, when I read Philippians 4:8,

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

or when I want to know which is the right proposal or candidate to vote for, I need just read His Word and ask Him to whisper in my ear the things that are pleasing to Him.

Oh, just a note for clarification - I know that God does not endorse any certain candidate, but I am going to vote for the people whom I think will best lead, govern and implement laws according to God's commands, based on the person's track record thus far in their service to our country.

I fell off the Swing

I have confessed to God, but I feel I must publicly confess, too. The past few weeks have been a bit chaotic around here and I fell off the swing, so to speak -- using my swing figuratively for my disciplined time with God. I knew in my mind and heart that when life got crazy, that is when I most need Him directing my days. But my body didn't listen to my mind and heart.
I got into this mode of doing instead of being. I was so focused on tasks that I put aside that very special time when I converse with my Father, my Friend, my Lord. Even in the midst of my busyness I knew what I was doing, but I daily made a conscious decision to do what my flesh wanted and not what my soul needed.
I thought I would just replace that special time with quick, on-the-go prayer. I am not opposed to talking with God anywhere, anytime. In fact, I love that I can do that - talk to Him about anything, anytime and He listens. However the past few weeks, my on-the-go prayers have been pretty superficial and very much a one-way conversation. I was not asking God questions I should have asked and was definitely not listening to anything He was trying to say.
This selfishness was reflected in many aspects of my life. I was allowing Satan's discouragements and deceptions into my mind. I was not thinking about the "whatevers" of Philippians 4. I was not very patient or kind, especially in my words to my children. My husband and I seemed to be on different pages. I began to use food to comfort my emotions. I did not take care of my body, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
In just a few short weeks, I allowed the devil to get a foothold in the cracks of my life. It is so easy to let my guard down, especially when life throws curve balls. But, I am so thankful that God did not give up on me and kept pursuing me through His Spirit and through His Body. Internally, I felt convicted and began to repent and again took special time to talk and listen to Him. Externally, as I began to share my struggles and confess my sins, my girlfriends gave me grace, loved me, encouraged me and are holding me accountable.
Thank you, Lord, for this "test" and even though I may have failed, I am grateful for what I have learned. You are loving and gracious, God. Please help me to bestow those wonderful gifts on your children, as you have given them so freely to me.