Doing what’s right.

December 14, 2006

By Jerry Scott

Mort Zuckerman, editor in chief of U.S. News & World Report, writes about two kinds of cultures — the shame culture and the guilt culture — in an article published in the Nov. 6, 2006, issue. In that essay, he reflects on the growing problem with cheating in our nation — everywhere from Little League to college entrance exams to paying taxes.

“Millions of Americans routinely engage in insurance fraud, cable-TV theft, and software piracy. …  Many of these same people see themselves as decent, law-abiding citizens. … They think there is more to gain by cheating than to lose. Inflamed by envy, … they seek to keep up not with the Joneses but with those who are much better off than the Joneses.”

Zuckerman concludes his column by contrasting shame cultures “where it’s bad to get caught cheating,” with guilt cultures “which rely on an inner voice telling individuals not to do wrong.”

That really got my attention! As our culture rejects “absolute right and wrong” and develops a growing agnosticism, we experience a loss of conscience. With a loss of conscience comes a lack of self-restraint, for there is little incentive to do the right thing unless our actions are monitored by another.

So, who are you when no one is looking? What thoughts do you allow to fill your mind where no one, except God, can see?

Jesus states the principle that we act out of what we think! “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, NIV).

That being true, the key to changed behavior is not greater restraint or monitoring. If we want to act differently, we must begin to think differently.

Here’s good news. We can be changed from the inside out by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not easy, nor is it simple. It won’t happen in one moment or even in a single day. It’s an ongoing process.

So, how does it happen?

First, we respond to the Spirit of God with humility and faith, putting our trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. The Bible says we are born to sin, flawed from the first by the nature we inherit from Adam. There is no remedy for this fatal “disease” apart from Jesus.

So, we begin by praying, “Come into my life and take over, Lord Jesus Christ. Forgive me, and clean me up!” Here’s the wonderful promise of the Word. “Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, The Message).

Second, we invite God’s Spirit to be at work in us on a daily basis, not just on Sunday; not just in some quiet moment in the early morning or late evening, but everywhere, all day long. Paul tells us to “walk in the Spirit.” That’s just what it sounds like. Take a daily walk with Him. Don’t run ahead; don’t leave Him at home. Be in the Presence of God by praying often, inviting Him to speak to your heart, to shape the thoughts of your mind.

Third, we become students of God’s Word. As we read and study the Bible, God’s wisdom becomes our wisdom. How should a follower of Jesus live? Start with Matthew, chapters 5, 6, and 7. Those three chapters can occupy your meditations for a very long time. Then, in Bible studies, in reading good Christian literature, in listening to biblical preaching, learn about the ways of God.

Fourth, discover the spiritual disciplines. A solid Christian character is built by daily disciplines — prayer, Scripture intake, worship, giving, confession, to name a few. We choose to follow these disciplines, not because we have a surge of feelings or because they are “fun,” but because we want to become like Christ. Without a genuine change of heart and the daily experience of the life of the Spirit, however, any practice of spiritual discipline is just another expression of self, and will soon be corrupted into hypocrisy.

So let me ask you straight out — what’s in your heart? Are you joining others in the shame culture, willing to do wrong unless you think you’ll get caught? Turn to God and pray for a new heart and a fresh start. Ask the Lord to give you a tender conscience that knows the difference between right and wrong, that feels guilt so you will quickly turn to Him and do what is right — ultimately for the glory and honor of God!

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:17,18, NLT).

Jerry D. Scott is senior pastor of Washington (N.J.) Assembly of God.