A Friend’s Advice

“Guard your heart.” _Tom Gillum’s most oft repeated advice

As I watch the world’s reaction to the October 7th horrific attack on Israel by the terrorist group: Hamas, it saddens me.

At first, virtually the entire world condemned the attack. But as Israel began to defend itself it did not take but a few days for the voices to grow silent, and to soon speak out against Israel. Today, Israel stands virtually alone on the world stage as they fight against an enemy whose avowed purpose for existing is to completely eliminate Israel from off the face of the planet.

Sadly, this should not surprise me. We live in a morally bankrupt world that has no transcendent measure of truth or reality. Might makes right. Whoever can scream the loudest wins the day. Self-interest, personal rights, expediency, tolerance, and inclusiveness without accountability – these are the guideposts of our day.

So why am I surprised when the nations of the world have no stomach for prolonged resistance against evil? When you have no transcendent moral compass, it is hard to maintain a commitment against evil or a commitment against/for anything.

Sadly, I have often seen this dynamic played out among Christians who would be very vocal in their stand on clear biblical truth…until…the consequences of that truth had to be lived out in their home, among those they loved and cared for.

Then, like the nations of the world reacting to Israel, they grow silent and soon begin to justify why God didn’t really mean what He said.

I suspect we all have to deal with this issue from time to time. I know I do. The price for doing right is often high and the return – in this life – is often seemingly low.

That’s why the oft-repeated advice of “Guard your heart” that I heard my good friend, Tom Gillum, say to me and many other has never been truer.

The ONE THING for today: In this morally bankrupted world, there will not be many people cheering you on for doing right. That’s why guarding your heart in order to keep your moral compass pure and your moral backbone strong has never been more important. There’s a lot riding on it and the consequences are eternal.

“Understanding, identifying, and resisting evil should be central to the challenge of the examined life.” __Os Guinness