"D"
"DEPART from evil and do good." Psalm 37:2727Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. (Psalm 37:27). When you are out playing with other children, you see and hear plenty of things that you know are evil,—things that displease the Lord, and would displease your parents if they knew about them.
If you cannot persuade those with whom you are playing to stop these evil things, the best thing you can do is to go away from them,—"depart from evil."
Then find something good to do. Ask your mother if you can run an errand for her,—if she needs something from the store, or wants to send something to a friend or neighbor.
Perhaps she would like to have you chop some kindling, dust the furniture. or wash some dishes.
If you are not in the habit of offering to help, just try it and see how much happiness it will give both you and your mother.
Perhaps you are accustomed to fussing and trying to beg off when asked to do a little work. If so, you will find all the more pleasure in surprising mother with a free offer of help. It may be something you don't really enjoy doing. But if you do it of your own accord to please someone you love, or for some poor person who needs help, you will surely find true pleasure in it.
For older ones there are other evils to be avoided. If you stay with them you will soon be doing them.
But we must be thinking about, and doing something, so let us always be seeking the good things. If we keep busy doing things for the Lord and for those about us, we will not have any time for the things that displease the Lord.
Sooner or later you will be rewarded for all the good you do.
If you plant flower-seeds in your garden, you will have to wait perhaps two or three weeks before you see some tiny green leaves peeping out of the ground. Then you will, have to keep on waiting while they slowly grow larger and larger. But after many weeks the buds will come, and then the beautiful flowers. At last you feel rewarded for all your work.
Sometimes we can't see any results when we try to do good, but the results will come later, just as when you plant seeds in the ground.
Messages of God’s Love 6/3/1928