Several lifetimes ago, it is said that as a young man faced the gallows after a life of crime his only request was to speak to his parent. To the everyone’s surprise, he bit the parent’s ear and proclaimed that the bite was a consequence for failing to insist that the son lived uprightly. It’s a gruesome tale, but it underscores the value of living by example in curbing negative behaviors among our youth. As we teach our youth to fear God, we must offer the wisdom of pursuing peace and shunning evil. Not because we’re fearful of being bit, but because we seek God’s goodness for their lives. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Psalms 34:14 NIV
[14] Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Turn
Metanoia is a common phrase in theological studies. It is a genuine turning away or spiritual conversion from one lifestyle to another, often due to remorse-filled conviction. It is not just a temporary action but can be permanent. Metanoia best describes the human decision to follow Christ. One can safely say therefore that choosing to fear God is Metanoia, a depart from satisfying the self in favour of satisfying God.
And oh how tempting it can be to satisfy oneself!
Self-Check
Even after our conversion experience, how tempted are we to satisfy our own desires?
Deeper Dive
As mentors to youth, we are called to dissuade them from values, actions, or attitudes that grieve God. David insists that we encourage them to turn away from evil, which is contrary to peace. In Hebrew, evil is related to hurtful or ill-favoured mischief, wretchedness, harm, or affliction. The admonition therefore is to turn away (i.e., go in the opposite direction) from that which hurts God and others.
Whether lying, stalking, stealing, backbiting, gossiping, participating in pornography, or – worst yet – belittling or judging others; we who fear God must turn away from such. David suggests that the best way to do that is by seeking good, pursuing and living in peace.
What if we opted to turn a youth’s life around by ‘seeking’ – rather, seeing – the good in them? In a world often overrun with negativity, we could choose to remind youth of the goodness they possess. That is also turning away from evil. And before we even think of saying – as we are sometimes prone to do – we can’t see the good, let’s invite God to show us the good that may be hidden from others. Choosing to see and seek the good in others is also metanoia.
That might also mean waiting until we are less angry before responding to some situations. It could mean having a stash of affirmations and encouraging words handy to prevent us from turning to recriminations and negativity. It may mean investing in ourselves and others, especially when no one else wants to. It definitely means looking to Jesus, the One Who perfects our faith, when the source of our trial seems to be right in front of us.
In turning away from the evils around us and pursuing God’s good, we store up treasures in Heaven primarily for ourselves, but possibly for others.
Point to Ponder
Are we willing to turn, and help others turn to God?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
