Walking with the Wise #54: No Worries

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”
—Proverbs 10:9

Ever been cruising down the expressway only to see some bright red and blue lights in your rear view mirror? At that moment, the first thing you do is look at the speedometer to see whether or not you were speeding. And then, if you were speeding, you will experience dread at being caught, or, if you weren’t speeding, you will wonder why you were being pulled over. The first response is rooted in guilt at knowing you were doing wrong and the second will be more motivated by curiosity as you wonder why exactly you have been pulled over. One is based in fear, worry, consequence, and condemnation, while the other is more based on curiosity.

When we are doing what God wants us to do and living life according to His Word, we don’t have to worry about being caught doing wrong. Our lives will be free from anxiety and guilt. But if we are doing wrong, then we fear being caught. If we are caught, we are guilty, assured of the penalty of our action because we knew the penalty for our choice.

Is your life filled with worry? The Proverb states that if we walk in integrity, we walk securely. We don’t need to fear the consequences of sinful choices. If, however, we live a crooked or sinful life, we should worry, because the Bible is crystal clear—we will be found out, if not in this life, then in eternity. As Jesus said:

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops”—Luke 12:2-3.

God knows our sin, and it will be uncovered. The best alternative is to confess our sin—drag it into the light so that it might be exposed to the holy gaze of Christ. Our sin must be removed, and that only comes through confession and repentance. We must “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires”—Romans 13:14.

Don’t hold on to sin. Lay it at the foot of the cross. As John wrote, “You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin”—1 John 3:5. He came to take away sins by the sacrifice of Himself, so that we might appropriate His sacrifice by faith. We cannot hold onto our sin for it is a stench in the nostrils of God. His Son died to take away our sin, not so that we would continue to live in it.

May God enable us to walk in integrity, forsaking sin and living righteous lives for the honor and glory of His great and awesome name. Amen.