Help Us Do The Right Thing

I saw the red lights from the brakes lit up as this car moved forward cautiously from our slightly sloped driveway. The night has not woken up yet from its deep slumber.

Few minutes ago, I held the driver of that car’s hands. Feeling the roughness from the hands that worked hard daily, we joined hands in our daily morning prayer. I mumbled as if I had memorized his prayer and synchronized with his utterances. I never failed when these familiar whispers filled the family room’s corners:

“Help us to do the right thing…”

That was my husband. Rough hands that rounded up criminals at the wee hours of each morning.

“Change your prayers,” I remember once telling him (How quick of me to criticize thinking that his prayer was redundant!). Only to give him an apology much later…

It’s because I should have respected his petition. And that is his ultimate request each time. For God to help us do the right thing. Looking around, that’s what’s lacking it seems. People are not choosing to do the right thing.

This morning’s prayer was different. I echoed his petition loudly from my heart and was becoming my heart’s cry, too…

If people from work would do the right thing, I wouldn’t have this battle that I had been in regarding my position for over a year now.

If people from the government would do the right thing, we wouldn’t have difficulty choosing the best candidate to lead this nation or any local and national part of the government knowing each candidate if doing the right thing, will not utter promises that sound empty.

If people from different backgrounds would only do the right thing, we wouldn’t hear about hate crimes.

If people would only do the right thing, there would be happier families, solid marriages, kids growing up with respect and love for God and others.

If people would only do the right thing, we wouldn’t know what ‘bullying’ means. What rape means. What abuse means.

Photo Credit

Overcrowding in every prisons wouldn't be a problem if each of those incarcerated individuals had done one thing: TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

If people choose to do the right thing, the first step is to “pray, seek God’s face and turn from wicked ways” and God promised to hear from heaven and forgive the people’s sins and restore their land.

And with each coming day, I will never get tired whispering in prayers as I join my husband to ask God to help us do the right thing. I dare not ask my husband to change that prayer for that is the daily battles we all  face: our own decision-making. May God increase my sorrow, to hate the sins the way He hates them, and my spirit to strive for the righteousness that He wants because He is a Holy God.

How awesome it would be if my hands get calloused by folding them in prayers incessantly as I ask God to help my family and I to always help us do the right thing. Daily. Even as we are facing huge mountains of trials. And that is my prayer for each and every one of you.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)