Week 29 Day 4

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How to Find Evil

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Thy business be to keep thy heart,

Each passion to control;

Nobly ambitious well to rule

The empire of thy soul.

Lincoln often paraphrased Scripture when trying to make a point. Once a Union general made a misstep, and Lincoln began to mistrust not only the man’s judgment, but his motives as well. But as he talked through the situation with others and noticed that the general led an honest life, he paraphrased what Jesus said about good and evil in the Gospel of Matthew: “An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” Do you rely on Jesus’ words to help you determine the motives of others? Lincoln knew that God could best help him evaluate this man’s heart. Using the Bible’s advice, he looked at the fruit of this man’s life. He knew that’s where he could find the truth. The next time you’re faced with a similar situation, look at the fruit and remember that’s what counts the most.