Below the Surface

The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever. -1 Timothy 5:24 (NIV)

I don't have to tell you how destructive sin can be. Just turn on the television or log on to your preferred news website. You don't have to look very hard or very far to see sin against God and sin against society.

Equally concerning is the sin that lurks just beneath the surface. I'm sure all of us know of someone who, by all appearances was a person of great integrity and values...until they got caught cheating on an exam or being unfaithful to their spouse or embezzling from their boss. Sin that begins below the surface is as destructive as the sin easily seen around us. Sooner or later, sin below the surface erupts like a volcano and in its aftermath is one, hot mess.

But thanks be to God that there is still evidence of goodness in the world. I invite you to look around today and take note of this goodness. Maybe someone opens the door for you at the restaurant or treats you to lunch. Maybe someone pays you a compliment or wraps their arms around you in love. Maybe someone sends you flowers or makes your favorite dessert. And the good thing is that beyond the goodness that you can see with your own eyes is the goodness that is not yet obvious. This hidden goodness cannot and will not remain hidden forever. As you look around for signs of goodness today, take heart in knowing that there's more goodness there than you can currently see.

It's important to remember that there is sin and there is goodness lurking just beneath the surface. The sin beneath the surface is especially dangerous. May God grant you the grace to resist sin in whatever way it presents itself. And may the goodness bubbling beneath the surface be like a refreshing spring of water bringing new life and hope to your weekend.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, here are the suggested readings for the weekend: 2 Kings 11-12, 2 Chronicles 24, and 1 Timothy 6 (Saturday); Joel 1-3, 2 Timothy 1 (Sunday). I'll be back on Monday with a devotional thought from Jonah 1-4 and/or 2 Timothy 2.