Psalm 25:8-10 (CEB)

The Lord is good and does the right thing;
    he teaches sinners which way they should go.
God guides the weak to justice,
    teaching them his way.
10 All the Lord’s paths are loving and faithful
    for those who keep his covenant and laws.


Reflection

The time is always right to do what is right.

-The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the struggles of modern life is that we always have something to feel guilty about. That’s not to say that having a social conscience is a bad thing – quite the opposite! But it can be overwhelming to think about all of the issues the world faces, and our place in working toward solutions.

Which ones will we choose to invest our time and effort to change? Can we really make an impact on any of the things we care about? Whether it be racism, sexism, climate change, prison reform, clean water, hunger, or any other challenge – can one person make a difference?

We can feel like the choices that we make are of little to no consequence, or that we can’t influence systems that existed long before us, and will continue long after us. Guilt can be a good short-term motivator, but over the long-term it simply can’t sustain our efforts. We need to know that what we are doing matters – otherwise we will give up.

The quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., above reminds us that no matter the time, no matter the place, what we do matters. It may feel like too little, too late. It may feel unimportant. But there is importance in the tiniest effort. It’s always time to do the right thing, to make the right choice.

The scripture for today reminds us that our Creator always does the right thing, and teaches those who care to learn the right ways. Life’s paths are faithful and loving for those who have bound themselves to this God, who keep covenant by daily getting up and trying their level best to do the right thing. Today, remember that it’s always time to do what’s right.

By Joe Monahan


For Pondering & Prayer

Consider a time when you struggled to discern the right thing, or when you felt overwhelmed by a problem. How did you determine what the right steps would be? How did your smaller choices help lead you into faithful and loving paths that brought you closer to God’s will?

Prayer: Loving God, we your creatures are often overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges we face. We are so easily convinced that what we do does not matter. Dispel that myth for us today. Remind us that it is always time to do what’s right. Amen.