Lessons on Living From Jeremiah

Jeremiah 13:23

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

A Change of Nature

There's a legend about a scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, who asked a turtle to carry him on its back across the river. "Are you crazy?" exclaimed the turtle. "You'll sting me and I'll drown." "My dear turtle," laughed the scorpion, "if you were to drown, I'd go down with you. Now where's the logic in that?" "You're right," replied the turtle. "Hop on." The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle inquired, "Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there is no logic in your stinging me. Why did you do it?" "It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning scorpion replied. "It's just my nature."

God realized this problem with the sin nature also applied to His people. Just as an Ethiopian couldn't change the dark color of his skin or a leopard remove the spots from its pelt, neither could God's people truly do good by themselves. On the surface they could make their actions appear good, but the problem lay deeper. Just as skin color and fur markings are more than superficial adornments, the behavior of the Israelites reflected their sin nature. Their actions came out of a nature that was in rebellion against God.

Many unbelievers today are just like that. They do what appear to be kind and gracious acts. They give generously of their finances and time. But underneath it all is still a rebellious attitude toward God that taints all their actions. Only when our nature is changed are we capable of truly doing something good, and that takes a saving relationship with Christ.

Make sure that your relationship with the Lord is right, based on faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Changing your outward behavior without your inward nature being transformed is just a cover-up. The substance is still the same. Only Jesus can make the inner man capable of doing what is truly good.

Whitewash won't hold up a fence.

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living From Jeremiah
Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 13:23

Our Competence Come from God

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

2 Corinthians 3:5

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