The things you should do...
"For thus says the LORD of hosts... These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD..."
(Zechariah 8:16-17)
"I just want God to tell me what to do!" We've all been there at one point or another, haven't we? When faced with a particularly difficult decision, there are times we desperately seek direction. Every situation is different, of course. But in Zechariah 8, God lays out what he wants us to be doing, by and large. The list is disarmingly simple. Yet the more I think about it, the more profound it seems.
1) SPEAK THE TRUTH to one another... To borrow a phrase from the show, "Stranger Things" (Netflix), "Friends don't lie." We know this. And yet we often do the opposite because we're uncomfortable about "hurting people's feelings." Be honest. But be kind. Don't take delight in being brutally honest, but tell the truth to one another. It's amazing what the truth spoken in love can convey.
2) Render in your gates JUDGMENTS THAT ARE TRUE & MAKE FOR PEACE... The city gates were where all the important decisions used to be made. And justice has long been sought after by those NOT in power. Too often, however, power tends to corrupt those who wield it. God challenges us all to make decision that are both just and that make for peace. I love that caveat. What will best work toward peace among people? DO THAT!
3) DO NOT DEVISE EVIL in your hearts... This seems like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said. John Wesley taught the early Methodists 3 simple rules: do good, do no harm, and stay in love with God. Why is it that we humans have a hard time avoiding things that hurt and damage others? Don't do that. Ever.
4) LOVE NO FALSE OATH... This kind of goes with "speak the truth." Oaths were made when official promises were needed. Usually they were witnessed by others. Sometimes we humans will say something we know moths want to hear, just to get what we want. Don't, says God. If you commit to something, follow through. Or don't commit in the first place.
These are all pieces of (simple) advice that we should take to heart. Thanks, Zach!