The evil that men do

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on 1Cor5 says, among other things,

…Grievous indeed is it that crimes should sometimes be committed by professors of the gospel, of which even heathens would be ashamed... The bad example of a man of influence is very mischievous; it spreads far and wide. Corrupt principles and examples, if not corrected, would hurt the whole church…

I was talking with one of my patients yesterday about how bad news and bad publicity spreads farther and faster and is more memorable than good news. If someone has a problem with you then they tend not to tell you but they will tell their friends and those friends will spread the negativity in an ever-expanding ripple. On the other hand, if someone likes you and thinks you are doing things just as you should then they won’t tell anybody. Even if they do mention it to a friend, positive news like that does not spread.

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This phenomenon is one reason that we have to be concerned with holiness and righteousness. Not that we can, on our own merits, become holy or righteous, but because if we set a bad example of Christianity before non-Christians, then…

1. …we are taking the Lord’s name in vain, and
2. …our poor example will spread wider than our good example and damage the mission of the church.

So, in addition to the admonition of 1Cor5, remember the words of a couple of great poets:

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The evil that men do lives after them;

the good is oft interred with their bones.

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And…

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The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,

Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit

Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,

Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it