Day 15

 

Keeping Up Appearances

 

"Abstain from all appearances of evil."

 

1 Thessalonians 5:22

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was Christmas break and I was a poor college student. I was working to get enough  money for the spring semester and it was going to be a close call. One Sunday night after church there was a man in the church that had a construction business or owned rental property, I'm not sure which, that offered me a chance to make some money. He would pay me $75.00 for one night of work. I suspect he was trying to help me out because back then I would have to work about 4 days to make $75.00, so I took the job.

 

The job was simple. I had to sleep in my car at a construction site. A house was being rebuilt after a fire and there was a lot of lumber at the site. The lumber had been disappearing bit by bit every night. The location wasn't the hood but it wasn't exactly a nice neighborhood either. To get my $75.00 I had to park my car next to the lumber and sleep there that Sunday night until the sun came up on Monday.

 

 

 

I was young and stupid so I wasn't afraid. I threw a pillow and blanket in the back of my Chevy and drove to the site and parked next to the lumber. I didn't sleep much that night, not because I was frightened, but because I was cold. I had underestimated how cold it could get in the back seat of a car in the winter time. It was in the mid-thirties and drizzling rain all night.

 

 

When the sun came up and the workmen started to arrive I climbed into the front seat and headed for the warmth of home. As I was approaching the interstate I saw a young lady on the roadside hitchhiking. She was wrapped in a rain soaked blanket and had to be freezing. Having just spent the being cold the whole time I felt that I just had to stop and offer her a ride.

 

I pulled over and she opened the passenger door and I said, "You need a ride?"

 

She said, "Yes," and began to climb in the front seat. Then she looked in the back seat and there was my pillow and blanket all made out like a bed. She immediately got out of the car and said, "No, thanks." I looked into the back seat and realized what she was thinking.

 

"It's okay," I said, "I can explain." She didn't want to hear the explanation, so I drove off.

 

I was trying to do the right thing but the appearance of evil intent had prevented it. I certainly had no way of knowing that would happen or that something so innocent could be seen in the wrong light. I had not done anything wrong but the appearance that I might had caused a problem. It didn't hurt me but that poor girl had to suffer some in the cold and wet. And often times just the appearance of wrong doing can cause you harm through lost opportunities or reputation. We can't control what others think but as much as we can we should not place ourselves where we might be seen in a bad light and damage the reputation of the Christ we serve.

 

 

 Upon Further Review:

 

 

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

• In these 11 verses Paul gives a list of things we should do. What are they?
• In these 11 verses Paul tells us some things we should avoid doing. What are they?
• What 3 things is it God's will for us to do?