“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” 1 John 3:7
Now John tells you not to let anyone lead you astray. What does he mean by being led astray? This is being led down a path different from the one you are supposed to be on.
You may have heard a speaker start talking about some subject. As he is talking, all of a sudden he is talking about something completely different. He let himself go astray in his talk.
If you have ever walked in the woods it is easy to understand being led astray. As you follow a path, suddenly you see something off the path that looks interesting. You walk over to see it, then you see something further yet. As you keep looking, you also keep getting further off the path, until suddenly you are lost.
As a believer in Jesus, you are on a path that God has set for you to become like Jesus and to get into heaven. People around you can easily get you off of that path if you are not careful.
Well meaning believers may try to tell you that what you are doing is not good, when it is something God led you to do. The world will try to get you to cut corners to get it done faster.
Here John tells you that you must do what is right. Doing the right thing is not always easy, in fact, it is sometimes painful. The cashier gives you too much change back: do you give it back (the right thing) or do you put it in your pocket and say they made the mistake?
Do you keep the pen you borrowed at work or return it? Do you confess to someone when you made the mistake or do you ignore it and hope it goes away? Do you admit when you are wrong?
All these things the world will state that there is nothing wrong in either choice. God tells you otherwise. You need to be righteous as Jesus is righteous.
Jesus never did anything wrong. You should not either. Yes, you will make mistakes, but try to not purposefully do them. When you know it is wrong to do something, don’t do it.
I pray that today God will help you to not be led astray by anyone; that you will stay on the path God has placed you on; that God will strengthen you to choose to do right all the time; and that God will make you righteous as Jesus is righteous.
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