How Many Legs?

“Humanity has always been dexterous at confusing evil with good. That was Adam and Eve’s problem, and it is our problem today. If evil were not made to appear good, there would be no such thing as temptation. It is in their close similarity that the danger lies.” - Billy Graham

On February 12, 1809 – 210 years ago today – Abraham Lincoln entered the world. Arguably the greatest of all United States presidents, he was a leader, strategist, statesman, and inspiration. 

One of my favorite Lincoln quotes is, “How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.”

We live in a world that would like to redefine reality, to call a tail a leg, so to speak, and pretend as though there are no consequences for living contrary to God’s design.

In Lincoln’s day the ill-defined “tail” was slavery. But each generation has its own challenges and is required to judge its practices against God’s truth rather than what is convenient, comfortable, and culturally accepted. Calling evil acceptable always leads to disaster.

Isaiah wrestled with the same issues more than two-and-a-half millennia ago. He said, “ Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).

Don’t confuse a tail for a leg or evil for good. Clarify reality through the lens of God’s Word and align your life with God’s perfect design.