My Daily Pause

There is no goodness in the dark

People who live good lives respect the Lord,
but those who live evil lives don’t. – Proverbs 14:2 NCV

Here, in one sentence, is the reason for the urgency to remove God from public view. With godly behavior being systematically removed from T.V., radio and other influences in our lives, the foul behavior seems less offensive and starts to seem normal.

Take a look at what John says:

…the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. – John 3:19-20

According to the worldly people, their behavior and belief comes from education and enlightenment.

According to the Scriptures, it comes from evil.

 ¹² It will keep you from the wicked,
from those whose words are bad,
¹³ who don’t do what is right
but what is evil.
¹⁴ They enjoy doing wrong
and are happy to do what is crooked and evil.
¹⁵ What they do is wrong,
and their ways are dishonest. – Proverbs 2:12-15 NCV

Proverbs 2 lists five fruits of wisdom. This third paragraph is about the evil that God’s word will deliver one from.

Read about the first fruit, Finding God, here.

Read about the second fruit, The Rewards of Wisdom here.

Have you ever noticed that places where sinful things happen are usually in the dark? People have a built in desire to hide when they are doing something wrong. To associate with these things then is to avoid the light and to eventually enjoy them (v14).

Paul reminds us to cast off the darkness (Romans 13:12 – and yes, that means not to associate with it) and gives us a few examples of things that occur in the dark (Romans 13:13)

Christians are expected to avoid being in sinful situations. Those who accept God’s wisdom are insulated from desire to sin (v12).