1 Peter 3:11-12
Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Years ago our family delighted in watching the Public Television presentation of a series called All Creatures Great and Small. It followed the exploits of a British country veterinarian in pre-World War II.
I recently purchased the books from which the television series was adapted. Once again I have been fascinated by life in a more simple time. There is one thing that has stood out in reading this semi-authentic history of an actual veterinarian at that time — the refusal to just say NO!
Time after time, the hero of the story, James Herriot, was persuaded to partake of copious amounts of liquor that he really did not wish to drink. The simple reason was that he did not know how to say NO! I find myself wanting to yell at him across the decades of time to learn the secret of walking away in these situations.
Having spent years in police work and the military, I certainly know what it feels like to be pressured into doing things my conscience warns against. I can honestly say that taking a stand to do the right thing has not only saved me heartache, it has been a witness to those around me (even some of those who were enticing me to go against my Christian values). I want to encourage each of us to say YES! to the Lord and NO! to Satan’s temptations.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil