Our Conscience, A Good Friend

God has given everyone a good friend. I'm not talking about Jesus, although He is a good and true friend, the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18: 24). I'm talking about our conscience. Often we see this depicted in cartoons as two little beings on our shoulders, whispering in our ear. One is an angel, telling us to do something that we should, or not to do something that we shouldn't. The other is depicted as a little devil, complete with the red face, the little horns, the pointy tail, and a three-pronged pitchfork. This being is telling us, Go ahead! Do it! It won't matter! Satisfy yourself! . . . or whatever other words we want to hear.

The very fact that people have consciences is "proof" for God. People who don't have the law of God do by nature what is codified in the law of God. Why? Because of the conscience that God has given to us. Every society has ideas of what is right and wrong. Most agree, for instance, that murder is wrong. Most agree that incest is wrong. The Apostle Paul talks about this in the book of Romans.

When we hear the "still small voice," we need to heed it carefully. It's a friend that can keep us from sin. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through a tender conscience. We're warned in 1 Tim. 4: 2 about those who have their conscience seared. Burned over. It becomes unresponsive. In Rom. 1: 24, we read about people whom God "gave . . . up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts" because they didn't listen when He spoke.

I want to be found always with a tender heart and a tender conscience toward the Lord. When the Holy Spirit speaks to me, I want to have ears to hear.