The Authorised Version inadequately translates the significant word
in this exhortation by 'honest.' The Apostle is not simply enjoining
honesty in our modern, narrow sense of the word, which limits it to
the rendering to every man his own. It is a remarkable thing that
'honest,' like many other words expressing various types of goodness,
has steadily narrowed in signification, and it is very characteristic
of England that probity as to money and material goods should be its
main meaning. Here the word is used in the full breadth of its
ancient use, and is equivalent to that which is fair with the moral
beauty of goodness.
A Christian man then is bound to live a life which all men will
acknowledge to be good. In that precept is implied the recognition of
even bad men's notions of morality as correct. The Gospel is not a
new system of ethics, though in some points it brings old virtues
into new prominence, and alters their perspective. It is further
implied that the world's standard of what Christians ought to be may
be roughly taken as a true one. Christian men would learn a great
deal about themselves, and might in many respects heighten their
ideal, if they would try to satisfy the expectations of the most
degraded among them as to what they ought to be. The worst of men has
a rude sense of duty which tops the attainments of the best.
Christian people ought to seek for the good opinion of those around
them. They are not to take that opinion as the motive for their
conduct, nor should they do good in order to be praised or admired
for it; but they are to 'adorn the doctrine,' and to let their light
shine that men seeing their good may be led to think more loftily of
its source, and so to 'glorify their Father which is in heaven.' That
is one way of preaching the Gospel. The world knows goodness when it
sees it, though it often hates it, and has no better ground for its
dislike of a man than that his purity and beauty of character make
the lives of others seem base indeed. Bats feel the light to be
light, though they flap against it, and the winnowing of their
leathery wings and their blundering flight are witnesses to that
against which they strike. Jesus had to say, 'The world hateth Me
because I testify of it that the deeds thereof are evil.' That
witness was the result of His being 'the Light of the world'; and if
His followers are illuminated from Him, they will have the same
effect, and must be prepared for the same response. But none the less
is it incumbent upon them to 'take thought for things honourable in
the sight of all men.'
This duty involves the others of taking care that we have goodness to
show, and that we do not make our goodness repulsive by our additions
to it. There are good people who comfort themselves when men dislike
them, or scoff at them, by thinking that their religion is the cause,
when it is only their own roughness and harshness of character. It is
not enough that we present an austere and repellent virtue; the fair
food should be set on a fair platter. This duty is especially owing
to our enemies. They are our keenest critics. They watch for our
halting. The thought of their hostile scrutiny should ever stimulate
us, and the consciousness that Argus-eyes are watching us, with a
keenness sharpened by dislike, should lead us not only to vigilance
over our own steps, but also to the prayer, 'Lead me in a plain path,
because of those who watch me.' To 'provide things honest in the
sight of all men' is a possible way of disarming some hostility,
conciliating some prejudice, and commending to some hearts the Lord
whom we seek to imitate.