p. 15 | A Good-Hearted Fellow by M. H.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jun 10, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 24.

"A Good-Hearted Fellow."

By M. H.

How often when the actions of some wild young man come in review, the recital is closed with the remark, "Well, he is a good-hearted fellow!" And, strangely enough, this in the minds of many is sufficient excuse for his misdeeds. Of course he is "good-hearted." The fact is, not one real criminal in twenty is a hard-hearted man. Their very good nature and free dispositions are often the characteristics that lead them to their present condition. They are altogether too "good-hearted." They allow their wills to be influenced so easily.

But suppose they are "good-hearted."—Does that in anywise excuse wrong? Sin is sin. There can be no compromise. The man who violates law, however slightly, does wrong, is a sinner. As a sinner, he must expect to answer for his actions, to suffer for his misdeeds. In spite of all the commendable points in his character, the slightest deviation from right will, if persisted in, lead to destruction. Then who can think of allowing the good-natured, "good-hearted," easy-going life to balance the actions that are wrong? It is not God's way of dealing with sin, and it should not be man's way. A sharp line must be drawn between right and wrong, and all who deliberately choose their way—and all have this power of choice—must expect to abide by the consequences; and their friends have a perfect right to judge them according to the same standard.

Because a man is "good-hearted" is no indication of a right heart. It may be that his good nature is supreme selfishness. It may mean that his whole thought and ambition is to please self by having an easy time, and the easiest way to do that is to be "good-hearted." It is every man's duty to be "good-hearted," but that can not be made to cover sin in any form, "for God will bring every work into judgment, . . . whether it be good, or whether it be evil." And it may be well to close with the question, Is that which is commonly called "good-heartedness," really and truly good after all? M. H.