1 Peter 3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:… All are doing good or evil. Men are sowing to the flesh or to the spirit. Every man is working iniquity or righteousness. To do good is Godlike. The Most High has never left Himself without witness, in that "He did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." We ought to be like God. Because God is holy, and perfect, and beneficent, we ought to be pure, and upright, and useful. To live for the good of others makes us like Christ. He went about doing good. He is our Pattern as well as our Redeemer. Then we are often commanded to be doing good. Here are a few words of Scripture: "Trust in the Lord, and do good"; "Depart from evil, and do good"; "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you"; "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men"; "To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased"; "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." Our redemption by Christ was to this very end (Titus 2:14). It is well to have some rules for doing good. Here are some: 1. Set your heart on doing good. Be instant in season and out of season. Be in dead earnest. 2. Begin at once. The opportunity is never wanting. 3. Study how to do good. Read God's Word and the lives of good men and see how others did good. Ingeniously find out right ways, the best ways, of working. 4. Pray for Divine direction. God is all-wise. Beseech Him to use you for His glory and the good of men. 5. Never despise the day of small things. I have been at the heads of some of our noble rivers, and a barrel would have held all the waters they sent forth in an hour. One grain of wheat has in a few years been so multiplied as to produce millions of bushels in a year. 6. Be not afraid of trials. They are sure to come, but go on. Expect opposition, but do not needlessly provoke it. 7. Aim high. Earnestly covet the best gifts and the largest success. He who strives to do but little will commonly do less. Plan great things. 8. Keep your heart with all diligence. Watch against pride, and vanity, and self-seeking. 9. While you love God supremely, love all men fervently. Cherish the purest and most kindly feelings. 10. Give no just cause of offence. Be not morose or censorious. Meddle not. Be not a critic, nor a judge, nor a busybody; but be the servant of all men for their good. 11. Never discourage others in their good works. 12. Not only work your self, but set others to doing good according to their ability. "He who makes a king is greater than a king." He who incites another to a life of usefulness, doubles his own. 13. Be prepared for delays, disappointments, and discouragements. God may design to cure your hot haste and rashness by subjecting you to many hindrances. 14. Be diligent. Be always at it. He that soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Blessed are they that sow by all watercourses. 15. Cheer fully and trustfully leave all issues with God. Duty is yours. Results are the Lord's. 16. Always do the best you can under the circumstances. If you cannot run, walk; if you cannot walk, crawl; if you cannot crawl, your strength is to sit still. But let nothing fail through your inadvertence, or unbelief, or vanity, or cowardice, or prayerlessness. 17. Waste no time on unwise plans and impracticable schemes. Be sure you are right, then go ahead. Prove all things. Learn to discriminate. All is not gold that glitters. 18. Beware of all superstition. God has no pleasure in fools. We cannot honour Him in things whereof we ought to be ashamed. Follow divinely sanctioned methods of doing good. 19. Guard against fanaticism. God has no use for our delusions. Mild enthusiasm is a great foe to better piety. Like a fire in a forest, it burns up all the tender plants of righteousness. 20. But never confound pure, humble, intelligent zeal with its counterfeits. Superstition and fanaticism are from beneath, holy zeal is from above. Be keenly alive and ready to every good work. 21. Count nothing of much value in comparison of the soul. 22. Obtain and retain a deep sense of the great price put into your hand to do good and to lay up treasure in heaven. In the great gospel harvest, he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal. 23. Put a high estimate on the value of time and opportunity. "I have lost a day" ought to be a dreadful sound in the ears of any mortal. Be on the alert. 24. Keep your eye on the person and grace of Christ. Without Him you can do nothing. He is our wisdom and strength and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. None ever followed Him too closely nor relied upon Him too exclusively. (W. S. Plumer, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: |
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