| For Monday, June 11 |  | | SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Chronicles 19:4-7 | | | KEY VERSE: "Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery" (2 Chron. 19:7). | | | Honest to Goodness | | How sad that we live in a world where the ability to deceive effectively and a lack of integrity are seen as assets. With the rise of reality-based television shows, especially those involving some sort of competition that offers outrageous cash rewards, the skills of deception have been glorified.
Jehoshaphat saw integrity from a godly perspective. He was crowned king of Judah at a time when injustice, duplicity, and bribery were common practices, but being a godly, moral man he set out to change things. He reestablished the Hebrew judicial system in the land. He charged each judge to make decisions fairly with regard for justice, fairness, and impartiality. Jehoshaphat completely understood God's position on honesty and righteousness. He understood that God held honesty for humanity in such high regard that a mandate for telling the truth was one of His top 10 commandments. Jehoshaphat would settle for nothing less from the officials in his regime.
What exactly is society teaching our children when deceitfulness is lauded as a valued commodity? When situational ethics become the norm, how will our society survive if trust in mankind cannot be found? Like Jehoshaphat, let us reclaim simple honesty in all aspects of our lives for the sake of our future. | | -Jeff Edmondson | | | SING TO THE LORD | With heart made pure, and garments white,
And Christ enthroned within. | | "The Cleansing Wave" by Phoebe Palmer | | | REACH OUT IN PRAYER | | Many people in Zanzibar will come to know Christ as Savior and receive the Holy Spirit. | | | THOUGHT FOR THE DAY | | I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just (Thomas Jefferson). | | | THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR | | Ecclesiastes 4-6 | | | |
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