October 17

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” — Prov 23:18

What you see of the brilliance, the delight, and the pleasure of sin–is only a cheat. Wait until the end comes. “Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death!” For a while, a wicked man may seem to prosper in his sin; but there is a hereafter, and sin will surely bring its harvest of curse and punishment at last! Indeed, if we could see all, we would find that even day by day, the fruits of a good life are far sweeter than those of sin. No godly young man would envy his mirthful neighbor, if he could follow him from his dissipation and reveling–and see the sickening sequel.

“Sorrow follows wrong, As echo follows song.”

The peace which comes to the heart of him who lives after God’s laws, is a thousand times better than the remorse which is the portion of the sinner. There would be no envy if a Christian young man could set the two lives side by side, and see them in fair, honest light.

One young man was placed in unfortunate circumstances. Nearly all the young men he knew drank alcohol. Would he go with them? He took a philosophical look at the older men about him, and saw what drink had done for those who had formed the drinking habit in their youth. Then he looked at the men who had refused to learn to drink. He made his choice. “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”