Richard L. Evans from his book, Thoughts for one hundred days. . . . wrote:
There come before us some further facets of the question as to how far can a person safely depart from principle: How far can he go and still get back when he wants to? At what age is character so set that a person can take a little latitude and be safe and assured? There is a ancient saying variously said by many sages to this intent; “Account no man happy till he die,”46 said Euripedes. “Judge none blessed before his death,”47 It is recorded in Ecclesiasticus. “Measure not the work until the day’s is out . . . “48 said Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Sophocles summed it up by saying: “Therefore wait to see life’s ending ere thou count one mortal blest; Wait till, free from pain and sorrow, he has gained his final rest.”49
In the thought provoking play, Time Limit, the authors have one of the chief characters say: “Your son was a hero, General; Yes sir, I gave you my word. Hundreds of days he was a hero. On only one day did he break. Don’t all those days count for anything?”50
Yes, it would surely seem that a kind and just Judge would take the whole record into account, and the days and hours of courage and consistency would surely count. But it is true also that a penalty is paid when there is a departure from high principle, departure from keeping the commandments. And we take unto ourselves unnecessary risk when we step out to sample the seamy an sordid. There are none so old and none so young who pay a penalty for departing from sound principles. There are none so old or so young who may safely relax their standards—for as a matter of physical fact, one never knows when he has leaned too far until he has fallen. At that point at which he finds out how far he can go, he has gone too far.
Surely there is the blessed principle of repentance. And surely with real repentance, the Lord God will forgive. But surely also it is a fools kind of foolhardiness that tempts temptation, for no one ever really knows when his character is solidly and safely set, when he can safely get a little out of line, when he can safely take a little latitude.
Peace and self-respect, a quiet conscience and a sweetness of assurance inside, come to him who has conquered himself, who has the wisdom to stay well within his own strength and standards and not foolishly tempt temptation. ~Richard L Evans, Thoughts for One Hundred Days (Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1966), 90-91
