My friends, blameless living is a daily decision; it is for last year, this year and every year. So, let’s continue on with blameless living by being challenged with the words of Psalm 101:3. Challenged? You may ask. Yes, challenged! I am challenged with these words. Let’s break it apart.
First of all, notice the resolve, “I will not…,” and consider what follows. I will not “look” on anything that is vile. We are surrounded by what is vile. It could be vile to our health, vile to our peace of mind, vile to our relationships, vile to our safety, vile to our financial well-being, vile to our church body, vile to our families, vile to our work performance, vile to our children’s education or vile to our social realms. You might accuse me of negativity, but please understand that we are surrounded by many different influences; some are louder, bigger or more noticeable than others; some are less noticeable but equally or even more influential. We must be aware of them and consider how they are affecting us. In the case addressed by Psalm 101:3, it refers to what we might look upon. We are not to look upon anything that is vile.
What might be vile? I won’t mention the obvious as even imagining it is causing our minds to “look upon it”. Let’s instead call out the sneaky vile visuals we might be exposed to all too often. These could be advertisements which entice us to experience or participate in what is not good for us, what is not godly or what is harmful not just to us but to those who are with us. What else could be “looked upon”? Think about our internet exposure, our television viewing or our social media time takers. What are we really seeing? Are we “seeing” what is true, godly, good, healthy, encouraging, faith building or productive for personal growth OR are we “seeing” what is causing us to fear, criticize, hate, desire or procrastinate? Is what we view causing us to enter a “zomby-like” process of stagnation or is it allowing the mastery of another entity over us? Be careful to live a blameless life by actually being mindful of what your eyes view. The First Epistle of John reminds us that the “lust of the eyes” is in a similar category as the “lust of the flesh”. What we see affects what we do. Think about this. We learn by watching. What a wonderful gift our eyes are to us – to see the beauty of God’s creation, to see the smiles of those we love, to observe what we must learn. Let us be careful to use this gift for its purpose without any vile spot blinding us from our intended focus.
Next, we read the very adamant and poignant statement: “I hate what faithless people do.” Be completely cognizant of the fact that this points out hating what faithless people “do”, not hating faithless people. Many of us might be tempted to assume that faithless people are people who do not believe in our Lord or people who don’t believe the way we do. Not so fast. I believe in the Lord, and I certainly am capable of behaving like a faithless person, even when I am trying to avoid this blame. Yes, discern whether actions are good or bad, right or wrong, profitable or damaging not based on “who” is doing them but based on “what” the actions actually are. Just because a person who appears to be faithful does an action, does not mean that their action is reflective of what a truly faithful person would do. God is our audience, and He is the audience of others, also. Do not be a respecter of persons. Hate what is evil even if it means that this involves a person whom you did not consider a faithless person; even if it means that an action was committed by a person who you value, respect or consider to be faithful.
Cling to what is good no matter who does it even if what is good comes from a so-called faithless person. Many of the most influential and encouraging people in my life are those who do not call upon the Lord or who might be considered faithless. I pray so much that they people might become faithful followers of the Lord, but this is God’s business to work in their hearts as He allows me to be blessed by them. They might be considered “faithless people”, but they are indeed doing good works which God has planned for them, and they are proving to faithful in their actions. Remember, even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Let’s strive to hope that this promise is for them to realize soon and very soon and for us to continually remember this promise for ourselves.
Now consider the last statement: “I will have no part in it.” What does this mean? It means we have absolutely nothing to do with it. It means forsaking gossip, forsaking folly, forsaking ungodly visuals, ungodly speech, lying, cheating, malice, envy, jealously, pride, manipulation, greed, indulgence, and many other common, human, flawed actions. Let’s list a few more so that we become completely cognizant, curious, contemplative and careful about them: how about judgment, arrogance, lack of forgiveness, vengeance, bitterness, rage, filthy language, talebearing, lack of trust, slackness, mockery, intimidation, duplicity, gluttony, drunkenness, hypocrisy, ingratitude, avoidance of the “less attractive”, yearning to be in the “in club”, withholding tithes and offerings, clinging to possessions, not helping the poor and needy, …ouchie, you may say. Oh my friend, I am preaching to myself. How I want to stand before God and say, “I have had NO part in any of it, Lord.” Yes, I want this to be my reality, not just my intention. Help me, Lord; Oh, please help me.
Be blameless, my friend. Watch the looking, the hating and the part you play in what is done that is faithless. Have no part in it. The Lord will help us.