You’re reading ACTS: LESSONS IN FAITH, by Eric Elder, featuring thirty inspiring devotionals based on the lives of the very first followers of Christ. Also available in paperback and eBook formats in our bookstore for a donation of any size!

Scripture Reading: Acts 23

A man who once walked across the entire United States said that the hardest thing about his walk wasn’t the mountains, or the extreme weather, or any of the things I would have expected.  He said the hardest part of the walk was the sand in his shoes.

The little grains of sand didn’t seem like a big deal at first, but over time, the sand would build up and lead to blisters, infections and ongoing pain.

It can sometimes be the same way with sin.  It may not be the big sins that threaten to undo you, but the little ones―a lie here or there, a lustful thought towards a co-worker, a glance from time to time at pornography.   Because of God’s grace, He doesn’t blast at every wrong turn.  But over time, those “little” sins build up and lead to a bigger problem.

The man who walked across America said that he learned to regularly empty out the sand from his shoes before it became a problem.  Today, you may find that your conscience is being pricked about some “little” sins in your life that God wants you to give up.  If so, I’d like to encourage you to follow those promptings, take off your shoes, and empty out the sand before it leads to a bigger problem.

The Apostle Paul knew the value of keeping a clear conscience.  He would regularly do whatever it took to ensure that he was honoring God and others with his thoughts and actions.  And the payoff was huge.

In Acts 23, when Paul was arrested and brought before the highest religious leaders in Jerusalem, Paul was asked to speak on his own behalf.  He began by saying this:

“My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day” (Acts 23:1b). 

Even though the charges against Paul could have cost him his life, his conscience was clear.  He had gone out of his way when he first entered Jerusalem to enter into the strict purification rites of the Jewish people.  He wanted to honor both God and those who lived in that city (see Acts 22:17-26).

So when the accusations came, Paul was able to say with full confidence that his conscience was clear.  By the end of Paul’s testimony, at the end of chapter 23, the commander overseeing Paul’s case concluded that there was “no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment” (Acts 23:29b).  Paul survived another day and went on to minister for many more years.

Your faith can help you in so many ways, one of which is to keep your conscience clear.

I’ve heard it said that “a clear conscience makes a soft pillow.”  God gave you a conscience for a reason:  not to make you feel guilty, but to keep you headed in the right direction.  Like the sensitive nerve endings on your fingertips that keep you from burning your hand on a hot stove, your conscience serves to warn you from burning yourself in other ways.  Not only will you sleep better with a clear conscience, but it can also save your life, your marriage, your job, your reputation, your ministry and your good witness.

As the Apostle Peter said, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12).

Faith keeps a clear conscience.  Is there sand building up in your shoes today?  Take time to empty them out.

If you’ve sinned, confess it to God and then to a trusted friend.   If you’re caught in some lies, come clean today by telling the truth.  If you’ve started a habit that’s taking you where neither you nor God want you to go, give it up today.  If you’re in a relationship that’s crossing lines that should never be crossed, break it off now before it destroys you and those around you.

May we all get to the point where we can say like Paul, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day” (Acts 23:1b).

Prayer: Father, help me to empty my shoes of the sands of sin in my life before they bring me down completely.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.