Pursuit of the Positive
“Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it” (I Peter 3:11).
When was the last time you heard someone use the word “eschew” in speaking? How many people do you know who know what it means? It means to shun; to avoid, as something wrong. That definition makes it clear as to what our attitude and action should be. Eschew evil!
Peace is a noteworthy replacement for evil. We are to “ensue” evil with peace. To ensue means to follow after. Linked the expressions mean after avoiding evil we should follow it by doing good.
This statement is a direct quote from Psalm 34:12-16: “Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.” Now that is easy to understand and essential to do.
Let him turn away from evil and do good. Doing good is often difficult because as a general rule, evil is rewarded immediately and the reward of doing good is often delayed. The reward for doing good is worth the wait.
This is good counsel for living together in harmony. Harmony is as important in our social lives as it is in a good choir. Voices in a choir are different from one another. They don’t all sing the same parts, but by all singing their parts they can sing together in harmony. In life our diversity necessitates harmony. When all live by the counsel of the above text there is harmony among the members. With Jesus as the choir master of life the harmony is inspiring.
If all eschew, that is, shun or avoid that which is wrong it opens the door of opportunity to follow with peace, that which is right. Such is often not instinctive, but must be determined to do. Therefore, it is necessary to attend “spiritual choir practice.”
In the Bible era there was a Greek word most commonly translated as “training” was “paideia” (???????), which can also be interpreted as “discipline” or “instruction” depending on the context. To know right from wrong requires “paideia,” the primary sources for such are the Bible, prayer, and public and private worship.
It is said that everyone carries around two buckets: a “bucket of gas” in one hand, and a “bucket of water” in the other. Whenever there is some “spark of evil”.
you have a choice as to which “bucket” you will use. Choose the bucket that will enable you to: “…eschew evil, and do good; …to seek peace, and ensue it.”
Set up your own “spiritual choir practice” conducted by Jesus. To start, make a list of things you can do to become more Christlike. Write them down and look at the list every morning for 40 days. Hopefully by then they will have become instinctive and you will have become more Christlike. You then can sing in harmony with Him.