July 28

Morning

I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. — Ps 73:22 BSB

Remember, this is the confession of a man after God’s own heart, David, who opens his heart to us, saying, “So foolish was I, and ignorant.” The word “foolish” here means more than it usually does in ordinary language. In an earlier verse, David confesses, “I was envious of the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked,” indicating that his folly was sinful. He calls himself “foolish” and adds emphasis by saying, “so foolish was I.” He cannot fully express how foolish he had been. It was a sinful kind of foolishness, not excused by weakness but condemned for its willful ignorance. David had envied the fleeting prosperity of the wicked, forgetting the terrible end awaiting them.

Are we any better than David that we should consider ourselves wise? Do we claim to have attained perfection or to have been so disciplined by God that we are free from willfulness? Such pride is dangerous indeed! If David was foolish, how much more foolish must we be if we truly see ourselves as we are! Look back, believer. Remember the times you doubted God when He was so faithful to you. Think of the foolishness of crying out, “Not so, Father,” when God, in His wisdom, crossed His hands in affliction to give you a greater blessing. Recall the many times you misunderstood God’s ways and cried, “All these things are against me!” when, in reality, everything was working together for your good. Consider how often you chose sin for its temporary pleasure, even though that pleasure only brought you bitterness.

Surely, if we know our own hearts, we must admit to this sinful foolishness. And knowing how foolish we have been, let us make David’s resolution our own: “You shall guide me with Your counsel.”

Evening

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. — Acts 10:38 BSB

Few words, yet what a beautiful portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ! Though the strokes are few, they are from the hand of a master. These words—"He went about doing good"—apply perfectly and fully to Jesus alone.

From this description, we see that Jesus did good personally. The Gospels tell us that He touched the leper with His own hand, anointed the eyes of the blind, and often personally went to the sick rather than merely speaking the word of healing from afar. He was involved in the lives of those He helped.

This is a lesson for us—if we want to do good, we should do it personally. Give with your own hands. A kind look or a caring word can enhance the value of your gift. Speak directly to a friend about their soul; your loving words will have a greater effect than a stack of tracts.

Jesus' way of doing good shows His tireless activity. He didn’t just do good to those who came to Him; He “went about” seeking opportunities to show mercy. There was hardly a village or town in Judea that wasn’t visited by the sight of Jesus. How this reproaches the sluggish and slow way we often serve the Lord! Let us prepare our minds for action and never grow weary of doing good.

Doesn’t this phrase also suggest that Jesus went out of His way to do good? He “went about” seeking those in need of His help. Danger or difficulty never stopped Him. He went out in search of those He intended to bless. And so should we. If old methods don’t work, we must try new ones. Sometimes fresh efforts achieve more than the usual approaches.

Jesus' perseverance and His single-minded purpose are clear in this simple description. We, too, are called to follow in His footsteps and do as He did, going about doing good.