Psalm 15:3b

Psalm 15:3b

"nor does evil to his friend" (Amplified Bible)

"who does his neighbor no wrong" (New International Version)

friend/neighbor/companion/associate

evil/wrong/hurt/mischief/trouble

It's really pretty simple. We shouldn't hurt people or cause them trouble.

I was reminded (while studying this) about the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus asks the legal expert who the victim's neighbor was. The expert's answer was that the man who was compassionate and showed mercy was the neighbor.

What sticks out to me about this is that Jesus' New Testament answer to how to treat a neighbor went beyond not being evil or hurting someone....it meant being the one that reached out to a stranger with compassion.

Again, Psalm 15, is in the Old Testament, written in a culture bound to the burden of the law. Have you noticed that this verse is a list of "don't's"? They are great "don'ts".  But I don't know about you, it is easier to stay away from the "don'ts " if I'm focusing on the "do's."

How do you avoid hurting someone? Focus on compassion. How do you avoid gossip? Focus conversations on what God is doing in your life.

I'm going to be working on that this week. What about you?

With the kids: Tell and/or act out the story of the Good Samaritan.

Memorizing:

Psalm 15

 ¹LORD, WHO shall dwell [temporarily] in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell [permanently] on Your holy hill?

    ²He who walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly, who works rightness and justice and speaks and thinks the truth in his heart,

    ³He who does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend,