Warning System
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 7:2-4
“We have not done wrong to anyone. We have not led anyone astray. We have not taken advantage of anyone” (2 Corinthians 7:2b, NLT).
You are surrounded with warning systems.
Chances are, your family car has several warning systems that will alert you to the fact that your seatbelt isn’t fastened, the headlights are on, the keys are still in the ignition, the door is ajar. It’s even possible to equip a car to emit a loud, annoying sound if the speed exceeds a certain level (say, fifty-five miles per hour, for example).
There may be smoke detectors in your house that will beep loudly if their sensors detect the presence of smoke in the air. The electrical circuits in your house probably have fuses or circuit breakers that prevent the wires from getting too hot. Some homes have burglar alarms that will activate lights and sirens if a door or window is disturbed (some will even automatically notify the police or security company!).
The school bus you ride has more flashing lights than an alien spaceship. Railroad crossings are equipped with flashing lights, clanging bells, and barricades that block the road. Garbage trucks and other large vehicles have bright lights and loud beeps to warn you that the vehicle is backing up.
Such alarms and warning systems are all around you. And inside you.
That’s right, inside you. You have a “personal warning system” of your own. Oh, it won’t beep if you forget your homework or flash bright lights if you sit in Bruno the Bully’s seat in the school cafeteria (that would be nice, wouldn’t it?). But you do have one. Everyone does.
Your personal warning system is called a conscience. It’s a kind of alarm God has planted inside you; it emits a silent “beep” in your soul when you’re thinking of doing wrong. Like any alarm, you can ignore it. You can even wear it out, sort of, by repeatedly ignoring it and doing wrong in spite of its warnings. If you do that, though, your personal warning system does you no more good than a disconnected burglar alarm or a smoke alarm without a battery. In fact, just like those things, it can even cause disastrous consequences.
But there’s nothing better than a fully operational conscience--especially when it’s clear. A clear conscience will not only help you sleep better, it will help you enjoy life better, because a clear conscience is a source of joy to the soul.
Review: Look at today’s Bible reading again. Paul tells the Christians in Corinth that he has a clear conscience about his dealings with them. What kinds of good things resulted from his clear conscience?
Reflect: Do you have a clear conscience? If not, confess whatever sin is on your heart, ask God for forgiveness, and accept his forgiveness. You may also have to make restitution to anyone you’ve wronged.
Reinforce: The next time you drink a glass of water, notice how clear it is before you drink it, and pray a silent prayer that God will help you keep your conscience clear before him and others.
Remember: “Cling tightly to your faith in Christ, and always keep your conscience clear” (1 Timothy 1:19a, NLT).
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