Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
Apparently someone at my daughters school once said 'It's only breaking the law if you get caught'. It's an interesting perspective on what's right and wrong. In fact the law makes no provision for the 'it's alright if you get away with it' philosophy. But so many people live this way. The words 'I'm sorry for what I did' could often be interpreted as 'I'm sorry for getting caught'.
In fact sin is damaging. It often affects those around us. It certainly wounds our own soul and it grieves the heart of God. The great news is we live under God's grace and mercy. 'If we confess our sins He is just and able to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9). So our drive to make amends is not to earn this forgiveness but to heal the damage caused.
Still fools will mock this view. If you can get away with it, what is their to put right? If you're forgiven then why do you need to do anything to put it right? But this is foolishness. The illuminating power of the gospel in our lives, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, drives us to make amends. To heal relationships. To help those we hurt. To worship the God who forgives. To show goodwill as the Proverb puts it.
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