Shade Tree Wisdom 2/18/14

          We have all, I am sure, used the expression, “Just let your conscience be your guide”. That sounds so fair and mature. Then we might ask, “What guides your conscience? What is your North Star? What measures your thinking and action? What is your standard?”

We may well ask such questions now, because conscience is riddled with sin and often goes awry. It is easily misled, befuddled, bewildered, and just plain lost.

Paul, in His letter to the Romans, speaks of people who have lost their sense of shame. Romans 1, to people are without excuse. .21”For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.”

The Lord gives us the sure way to correct this when He forgives us our sins, and send His Spirit to guide our way through the leading of His Word. Our cry goes up, ”I am a stranger in the earth, Oh, how I need a map”. Psalm 119,19.

I read recently how this does work. Recently, Birmingham Alabama had snow, more snow than expected. It clogged highways with stalled cars. It brought problems. The owner of a Chick-fil-A restaurant sent his workers home since there was no business, but they came back. They couldn’t get home. So the owner fired up the grills and started making sandwiches. Then he and his staff went to stalled cars and offered sandwiches.

Then, when night came, he offered the restaurant for sleeping and staying warm, then he sent them off in the morning with breakfast. All for free, because the Holy Spirit had changed this person and made him a new man.

So it is safe to say “Let your conscience be your guide” if that conscience is directed by God. Paul tells us, “Hold on to faith and a good conscience” 1 Timothy 1,19. 

God bless that walk with such a wise conscience.

GPD 2/18/14