Doing the Right Thing Isn’t Convenient

Written by Susan Scott Smith

Sin is often a temptation to do something that is easy and convenient. As we approach Passover, let’s consider how we need to think to overcome sin.

Each year after the Feast of Tabernacles I strive to distill the messages into a concise list of snippets so I can easily review them throughout the coming year. Many times the snippets are “aha moments” that really pull together a lot of thoughts into something that sticks for a long time.

One of those moments from the 2014 Feast of Tabernacles in Orange Beach, Alabama, is the inspiration for this blog post.

It has been said that character is what you do when no one is looking. It is more advantageous to do what is right when others are looking (depending on your audience); but it is much tougher to do what is right all the time, especially when no one is looking.

Whether you are single or married, avoid social settings or surround yourself with people, the person inside your head and heart can be diametrically opposite from the one you show on the outside.

God’s people focus on examining their inner motivations in the weeks preceding the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread.

To litter or not to litter?

Let’s look at a simple example.

You are at the Houston Livestock Rodeo, enjoying the fare, wandering in and out of the exhibits by yourself or with a friend or mate. You grab a piece of gum wrapped in waxed paper, pop the gum into your mouth and wad up the paper.

What comes next? Now, you may have been taught not to litter by your parents, in which case it may be natural for you to hold on to the wrapper until you can find a trash can. But what if you were not raised with this as part of your inner conscience?

Now you have a choice: Your natural inclination is to do what’s easy and convenient—throw it on the ground. If you stopped to think about it, you might reason that there is a lot more litter on the ground and this little wrapper is not going to impact the overall landscape that significantly. And if no one litters, you might also reason, maybe the cleanup crew would become unemployed!

The real application

Though sin is often more complicated than littering, all temptation to sin goes through a similar process in our minds.

When we are tempted, we can always devise reasons (often just excuses) that can seem to justify the sin. The challenge is to see the real effect of the sin—not only on ourselves and our relationship with God—but also on the entire world. When we see sin from this perspective, the impetus to reject sin is much greater.

Regardless of the kinds of sin we struggle against, we all have a similar struggle with our human nature. Our human nature (or the old man, Romans 6:6) fights against change and creates a battle in our minds (Romans 7:23). This is why we also need Pentecost after the Days of Unleavened Bread—because we can only really change from the inside out through the power of God’s Spirit.

Our calling is not easy—and overcoming sin is one of the hardest parts of Christianity (Matthew 7:13-14). God never said it would be easy or convenient. Make the right choice even though it is inconvenient, because Someone is always looking (Hebrews 4:13)!

For further insight into temptation, sin and overcoming, read: