All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
but the LORD weighs the heart.
Proverbs 21:2

Over my lifetime I have gotten pretty good at justifying my bad behavior. If I want to drink way too may SunDrops or Mt. Dews one day, I just remind myself that I did (or will soon) mow the yard. That expenditure of effort will surely make up for the extra calories. If I have yelled at Teresa or the boys, it must be because they did something to provoke me. It surely couldn’t’ be because I was in the wrong.

Most of us have a way of viewing things from a perspective that makes us appear correct in whatever action we choose. But we need to acknowledge that some things are wrong, and we should do our best to avoid these behaviors because they usually hurt us and others.

The writer of Proverbs reminds us that even as we try to justify all of our deeds, the Lord weighs the heart. When we pause and really consider some of the wrong things we have done, God allows us to also feel the heavy heart of regret.

Stop. Consider. Repent and apologize, if necessary. And get about living a godly life.

Prayer

Dear God, help me to be considerate of those around me, and of Your plan for my daily life, as I consider my actions today. Amen.