How To See Good Days

I Peter 3: ⁸Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:  ⁹Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.  ¹⁰For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:  ¹¹Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  ¹²For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  ¹³And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

Here is a simple, clear-cut explanation on how to achieve something we all want—to see good days.  Our point of view matters.  How do you feel toward what life has given you?  Do you love life?  Are you thankful for the days you have?  Regardless of the bad in a day, there is good in it too.  Do you want to enjoy life?  This is not defined by how you feel physically or how you’re doing financially.  You can have the best of days when your pockets are turned inside out.  You can still love life.  Peter says it’s all about how you conduct yourself toward God and your fellow man.  It’s about attitude, action, and behavior.

Everyday can be a good day regardless of the temporal things.    It comes by how we feel toward each other and how we conduct ourselves with each other.  How we do this is in direct correlation of how we treat God.  Jesus put it like this.  In the positive note:  when we’ve done it unto the least of them, we’ve done it unto God.  In the negative note:  when we’ve not done it unto the least of our brethren, we’ve not done it unto God.  Our relationship with God determines if we have a life we like—whether we see good or bad days.  Regardless of our age or physical condition we can enjoy life.

Paul had many troubles and trials yet from prison he wrote that he had learned to be content in whatsoever state he found himself.  In his worst of days he rejoiced in the Lord.  He’s the one who told us to rejoice in the Lord always. Being right with God and man is the key to a good life.  Look back at verse 8.  It takes oneness of mind.  Peter said be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. It’s challenging to agree or be compassionate.  Our old nature wouldn’t have it that way, but we received a new nature in Jesus Christ.  He gives us the power to be able to be courteous and compassionate with others.  Instead of condemning and criticizing, we can help others develop and grow.  Sometimes we consider ourselves spiritually perfect and others flawed.  That’s far from the truth.  We all have weaknesses and need each other.  It’s important to help each other and just as important to accept help offered by others.  Love and accept love back.  We do need each other.  We need to appreciate each other more.  Verse 9 cautions us not to render evil for evil. That would be our way, but again our new nature should rule.  Turn the other cheek and win a friend.  Return blessing for cursing.  It’s a sure way to a clear conscience.

Verse 10 challenges us to control our speech.  Choose what to say.  Refrain from evil and guile.  Words destroy relationships and churches.  They start wars.  God help us to learn that we must do this.  We must hate evil and seek peace.  We must not only seek it, we must take the first step.  Don’t think you’ll look foolish or weak if you do.  Success is not walking over people.  There is power in what you can do, but don’t do anything with evil.  Do it with respect and in seeking peace.

Let God be the Lord of your life.  Verse 12 gives us good reason to do this.  The Lord is watching.  He is listening. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. When we hurt others by our actions or words, God sees and hears it.  That should be a great incentive to do the right thing.  The reward is in pleasing God with what we say and do.

We can love life.  We can have good days.  It’s possible when we accept our responsibility for the treatment of others and thereby God.  I want a good life.  Do you?  Do you need to accept the responsibility afresh?  You can.  It’s how to see good days.