Why Not?

“Out of reverence for God, I did not act like that.”  Nehemiah 5:15

Why do you do what you do?  That’s a good question to ask, but sometimes so is this one:  Why don’t you do what you don’t do? 

Our honest answers would vary.  If an action is undoubtedly wrong, we might say we’re afraid of getting caught.  We don’t want to face the consequences of our choices.  We don’t want to look bad to those who think we’re good.  We take seriously the reputation of the organization, company, family, or church we represent. And often we would say it’s because we’re Christians.

And what if a choice is not necessarily wrong and some even think it’s right?  Why would we choose not to do it then?  Many of the same reasons apply.  We don’t want to look bad to those who think we’re good.  We take seriously the reputation of the organization, company, family, or church we represent. And often we would say it’s because we’re Christians.

But since our salvation is totally dependent on what God did and not on what we do, why should being a Christian be a factor in our choices?  Because the overwhelming mercy and astounding grace of God in Christ should create in us a desire to honor Him in every way possible—by what we do and what we don’t do.  “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love”(Gal. 5:13).  The grace of our relationship with God should guide our actions, and our love for Him should show up in how we live.

As governor of the land of Judah, Nehemiah could have required his constituents to keep his cupboards stocked and his wine cellar full.  Their contributions would have been helpful because “one hundred fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well of those who came to us from the surrounding nations.  Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds”(Neh. 5:17-18). But in spite of the hearty number of dinner guests, Nehemiah “never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because these demands were heavy on the people”(Neh 5:18).  His predecessors had placed a big burden on those they governed by demanding a monetary tax in addition to the required groceries, and “their assistants also lorded it over the people”(Neh 5:15).  But Nehemiah stated that “out of reverence for God I did not act like that”(Neh 5:15).

There’s our real reason for doing what we do and for not doing what we don’t do—reverence for God.  Realizing who God is and responding with our lives.  Being so amazed by God’s grace that we want to show others His goodness.  Not fear of being found out, not concern for our own reputation, but our absolute awe of God and our amazed adoration for God should drive our decisions all day every day. 

Just because you could doesn’t mean you should.

Live the way you live because you love God.