Hag 1:5- Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
In our topical Scripture, the Prophet Haggi (he was a post-extollic prophet) warned Israel of their failures upon returning to their homeland after more than seventy years of captivity. They were to make sure that the temple was built, so that they could restore their worship unto the Lord. Rather than finished the house of God, most of the people became concerned and engrossed with finishing their own houses. Not remembering that this same attitude about the things of God is what caused their captivity! Their ways were not just questionable, but downright appallingly ignorant. Haggi, with the help of his younger student-prophet Zechariah, made the remnant from captivity “Consider Their Ways.” He admonished them to finish the house of worship for the same God who spared their lives while in captivity: “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-23).
Out of all the challenges in life, none is harder than to challenge self. It is much easier to look in the direction of another then it is for us to confront the man in the mirror. As daunting of a task this may be, it is vital and extremely necessary. If I do not question self my behaviors and wrongs will continue without interruption, without correction. Always consider what you are saying, thinking, or doing. Does it please God? We cannot live under the notion that all of our ways are beyond reproach. So since none of us are perfect, let’s “consider our ways.”