This Proverb says, “It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself if his conduct is pure and right.” Our deeds or actions are our outward manifestations of our inner thoughts and motivations. Our deeds generally reflect who we really are. If our values are good, then our deeds will be good. Conversely, if our values are bad, then our deeds will be bad.
What then differentiates good and bad? The Bible defines good as being righteous. It defines bad as being sinful or wicked. Being righteous means to live according to God’s guidance. It means to live according to the Word of God, the Bible. Being sinful means to live contrary to the Word of God.
Unfortunately, the natural state of mankind is to be sinful. The Bible says all of mankind is naturally sinful. We want to sin because that feeds our physical desires. It takes conscious effort to turn away from sin. Therefore, we humans need motivation to turn away from sin.
God provides that motivation. The Bible says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” When we believe that God is real, we also realize that he can and will punish us for our sinful behavior. We are then motivated to turn from sin.
That motivation will lead us to down the path of right living or righteousness. Our inner thoughts and motivations begin to turn from doing sinful deeds to doing good deeds. Eventually, God will lead us to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. That belief will lead us to Heaven.
