WHOEVER WOULD LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS

WHOEVER WOULD LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS

When we look at how we live in today’s world, we realize how little some people really enjoy or love life that God has graciously imparted to them. Many  struggle through everyday living, without knowing that there are Biblical principles which instruct us to  lead the kind of life that would give us joy and good days, if we apply them in day to day living. God’s Word is  the only perfect guide to godly living. It is practical, and one fascinating passage in the Book of St. Peter, gives us this awesome message:

1 Peter 3:10 For "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile.

Another rendition:

1 Peter 3:10-12

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: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it ! For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:............

From this short passage we are given the following practical points of application:

To love life and have good days we are taught to refrain:

a. our tongue from evil

b. our lips from speaking guile

The meaning of the word “Guile”  is  treachery or deceit. Keeping one’s tongue from evil refers to evil speaking, speaking ill of others as to injure or harm them.   St. Peter teaches us that we should be very careful with the words we speak that our spoken words are not full of deceit or treachery. We should further control our tongue from speaking evil.

It has been observed  that people who are naturally inclined to verbal abuse, bad language  evil speaking, insults, ridicule and cursing  are themselves full of hate. They are offensive and are angry at life. They are bitter, arrogant proud and terribly uncouth. They even hate their lives, are discontented,    that they want to make everyone as miserable as themselves. 

There is a wonderful promise here given to God’s people, who heed this instruction. If we want to love living the life God has given to us, and see good and better days then we need to restrain our tongues from evil speaking and deceitful speech.

We want to see good days, we love life, don’t we?

Jesus said in John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

There are some people who treat the book of Proverbs in the bible as simply a collection of wise sayings similar to the sayings of philosophers and learned men of great intellect.  As a Christian I believe that the wisdom in the Book of Proverbs is no ordinary saying which one may only take under advisement.  These are divinely inspired words. There is death and life in our words as the Scripture declares. There should be no doubt about it.

St. Peter said that in order to see good days we have to keep our tongue under control and not speak deceit. The promise is for those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit, that their lives bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control and from their speech we find no deceit or evil speaking.

In times of weakness, when the troubles of life come to visit us we may murmur, whine and complain, even utter contempt against anyone, anything, or worst blame all except one’s self.

One common theme we learn from the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ is His parable of sowing and reaping. He gives us a picture of seeds being sown. The seed is God’s word. In similar manner if we are to think and consider the words we speak as seeds which we plant or sow, the lesson is easy enough to grasp that what we sow, we reap. Sowing seeds of evil and deceit would not produce in us a good and life giving harvest.  There is nothing good from evil speaking. There is great wisdom in the common saying: If we have nothing  good or better to say about someone or anything, then better to be quiet.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

God’s word is a sure reminder, that if we are to enjoy the gift of life and live out to see good and better days, we should be very careful with the utterances which proceed from our mouth. What we say in one way or another affects us. And I would like to believe  that it is not only in what we say with our mouth but in what we communicate through other forms.

St. Peter goes farther by reminding the Christians that we should not be careless in giving our word. We have to honor and commit to the things that we say. This is another side to what the Apostle is saying about refraining from speaking guile. There is deceitfulness when we give our word and willfully not follow it. The effect could be grievous in all types of relationship or situations.  Translated in matters of faith, one’s profession of faith is tested by one’s act of faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that

both you and your descendants may live;

This awesome declaration ties up with the Apostle Peter’s instruction. God the Almighty has set before His people life and death, blessing and cursing. We are given the choice: to choose words of blessing which leads to life, or to choose cursing, which leads to death. Choose therefore life.