Briefing: The more equipment law enforcement agencies add and issue to their officers the more often audits are conducted. How often does your department conduct internal audits?

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 15.

On the Street: The theme of Psalm 15 is who shall dwell on YOUR holy hill? David runs through a list of characteristics and behaviors that the true believer will demonstrate in their day to day life. When I read this Psalm, it is a reminder for me to perform an internal self-check on my spirituality. How is my spiritual health? What is the report card on my current state or progress?

David opens this Psalm with a question. He inquires of God, who will be worthy to live with God in His holy residence. We should all be sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for the response. This information is enormously significant. Do we recognize the importance of the information given in the answer to follow? The knowledge contained in verses 2-5 is essential for the believer. It is not a blueprint for salvation. It is written for those who have already decided to follow Christ. It is for the Christian who is still looking for direction and instruction on how to live.

The answer to the question starts, “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman”. This is a person who fills up his heart with God’s Word. It brings us to the first internal audit question, how often are you reading your Bible? Our hearts and minds are like sponges. You are only going to get out of them that which you put into them. In Luke 6:45, “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and the evil out of the evil brings forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.” If your heart is full of truth, that is what is spoken.

In verse 4 David gives us our second internal check. Who are we spending time with? The answer to this question can have great impact on our lives. We can influence those around us but we can also be influenced by those same people. David says we must despise a vile man. We know that we do not just disregard the vile person. We have to pray for them and try to share the knowledge of Christ with them. They should not be allowed to hold a position of spiritual influence in our life. The people we are to allow to have spiritual influence on us are the people who fear God. Are you surrounding yourself with people who love God and obey His commands?

The last part of verse 4 and verse 5 says we have to be people who keep our word no matter how bad it hurts. In other words, we must be examples of integrity. We must be people who don’t just talk about following God’s Word, we live it. Your integrity will be the characteristic you will be most judged by. This will either be the example of your faith in God or the stumbling block to those who will see you as a hypocrite.

It is important to take some time to self-check your life. This gives us the opportunity to see what path we are on. From here we can continue on the path of righteousness or self-correct and get back to where we need to be.

Investigational Resources: Luke chapter 6 and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Officer Safety Principle: It is better to give yourself an audit and find your shortfalls than to wait for someone to do it for you.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 1
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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