I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. (Ps. 75:10)
THEY WERE THROWING THEMSELVES on their dog pile with abandon. Why wouldn’t they? They were seven-year-old boys with a sugar rush from too much birthday cake. But it looked to me like they were just a bit too enthusiastic about landing with force on each other, so I fulfilled my parental duty and told them to stop or someone would really get hurt. That lasted for maybe five minutes. I had just begun an adult conversation with one of the parents at the party when I heard a thud from the renewed dog piling and then an “Uh-oh.” I met my son in the doorway to the front yard, where he was fighting back tears and holding up his left wrist with his right hand. That wrist had just acquired a new angle.
Some actions have predictable consequences. Throughout the Bible, it is clear that God favors righteous action and will show himself to be against wickedness. The results of each kind of action are clear. The righteous will be strengthened; the wicked will be cut off.
Just because consequences don’t immediately follow our actions does not mean that those consequences are never coming. Pursuing evil in our everyday choices results in spiritual, moral, and relational weakness. Our choices for wise and righteous action will strengthen our lives in Christ Jesus. It’s that simple.
Choose righteousness and choose strength in Christ.
Steve Wamberg is a husband, dad, writer, and pastor who loves his wife, kids and their spouses, preaching, teaching, music, coffee, friends, and Nebraska football.
