Rock-Solid Apology

P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

Rock-Solid Apology
“I took this piece from the Acropolis a long time ago,” said the note. “I am very sorry. Please return it to where it belongs.” Friends, the above note of apology was unsigned, and its author’s identity remains a mystery. It was received at a Greek consulate earlier this year - along with a small piece of marble. The Greek Ministry of Culture in Athens announced this incident last month. The Ministry said the rock would be entrusted to the archaeological service to determine the area of the ancient Acropolis to which it should be restored. It comes to my mind, that stories like this one may become rare - because it is conscience that causes people tow rite apology notes and to return stolen items. And conscience is not being cultivated by this generation. In fact, it is often considered a liability rather than a moral virtue. Conscience is an internal monitor of behaviour. It functions much as a blinking red light on your car’s instrument panel. Such as when your engine overheats or the oil needs changing, sensors warn you. Likewise, when you tell a lie or break a promise, the inner discomfort you feel is a warning against the corruption of your character. The tricky thing about conscience is this: refusing to heed its warnings dulls its sensitivity and eventually disables it altogether. The Bible calls this process “hardening the heart.” And a hard heart is the ruin of virtue. For instance, pornography is not free speech. Obscene speech is not one’s right of personal expression. Lying is not acceptable as long as you’re not caught. And it is not alright to turn a blind eye to racism, child abuse, poverty, and other forms of insult to the image of God that attaches to every human being. Friends, the best way to keep your conscience intact is to pay attention to it. The workplace is still under God’s sovereignty and requires integrity. People in your family are to be treated with dignity and respect. When your conscience tells you a moral boundary has been crossed, it is doing you a favour-uncomfortable as the feeling is-by inviting you back onto spiritually safe ground. The Bible reveals to us that God wants to forgive us of our shortcomings, and that forgiveness has always been a part of His loving nature. In Psalm 32:3-5, we read where King David expresses the joy of forgiveness that God had forgiven him for the sins he had committed against Bathsheba and Uriah. “There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, ‘I will confess them to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” So my friends, just in case your conscience calls today, determine now not to hang up. If you’d like to write to me with your comments or suggestions, I’d be pleased to hear from you. Email me or write to me at P.O Box 1540, Albany W.A 6331. Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418

Rock-Solid Apology

“I took this piece from the Acropolis a long time ago,” said the note. “I am very sorry. Please return it to where it belongs.”

Friends, the above note of apology was unsigned, and its author’s identity remains a mystery. It was received at a Greek consulate earlier this year - along with a small piece of marble. The Greek Ministry of Culture in Athens announced this incident last month. The Ministry said the rock would be entrusted to the archaeological service to determine the area of the ancient Acropolis to which it should be restored.

It comes to my mind, that stories like this one may become rare - because it is conscience that causes people tow rite apology notes and to return stolen items. And conscience is not being cultivated by this generation. In fact, it is often considered a liability rather than a moral virtue.

Conscience is an internal monitor of behaviour. It functions much as a blinking red light on your car’s instrument panel. Such as when your engine overheats or the oil needs changing, sensors warn you. Likewise, when you tell a lie or break a promise, the inner discomfort you feel is a warning against the corruption of your character.

The tricky thing about conscience is this: refusing to heed its warnings dulls its sensitivity and eventually disables it altogether. The Bible calls this process “hardening the heart.” And a hard heart is the ruin of virtue.

For instance, pornography is not free speech. Obscene speech is not one’s right of personal expression. Lying is not acceptable as long as you’re not caught. And it is not alright to turn a blind eye to racism, child abuse, poverty, and other forms of insult to the image of God that attaches to every human being.

Friends, the best way to keep your conscience intact is to pay attention to it. The workplace is still under God’s sovereignty and requires integrity. People in your family are to be treated with dignity and respect. When your conscience tells you a moral boundary has been crossed, it is doing you a favour-uncomfortable as the feeling is-by inviting you back onto spiritually safe ground.

The Bible reveals to us that God wants to forgive us of our shortcomings, and that forgiveness has always been a part of His loving nature. In Psalm 32:3-5, we read where King David expresses the joy of forgiveness that God had forgiven him for the sins he had committed against Bathsheba and Uriah. “There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, ‘I will confess them to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”

So my friends, just in case your conscience calls today, determine now not to hang up. If you’d like to write to me with your comments or suggestions, I’d be pleased to hear from you.

Email me
or write to me at
P.O Box 1540,
Albany W.A 6331.

Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418