Tuesday, January 4

Safeguard

your heart.—Prov. 4:23.

In the complex world in which we live, many decisions need to be made that involve our obedience to God. How can we be sure that these decisions are in harmony with God’s will? Jehovah has given us a gift that can help us greatly in this matter of obedience. It is the conscience. What is the conscience? It is a special kind of self-awareness. It acts like an internal judge, enabling us to look at the choices we face in life or to reflect on the actions we have already taken and to evaluate them as to good or bad, right or wrong. (Rom. 2:14, 15) The conscience, however, has its limitations. For example, if we were to give the desires of our heart too much prominence, our selfish tendencies might well distort the conscience. (Jer. 17:9) If we do not rely on the sure, unchanging guidance of God’s Word, the Bible, our conscience might be nearly useless.—Ps. 119:105.