“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”
Proverbs 21:21
Our midweek Good News message finds us in the Book of Proverbs – the Book of Wisdom. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the writer is given great wisdom to pass on to us as to what we should pursue in life. He says the results will be beautiful to behold.
So often when we awake, our thoughts immediately go to what we think we have to accomplish for the day. We start the mental check list of what we are going to do, and who we have to talk to, and how we are going to ‘make it happen’ as we jump into the routine for the day.
I totally get that since that was my life for many years. I had things to do, and places to go. My day was from 4 am or so in the morning until the last thing to be done in the evening. I got a lot done, and had many accomplishments, but I could never seem to be satisfied for any period of time. I was always looking for that next opportunity, that next challenge, that would allow me to show how good I was. I was being led by my ego. I did not have my priorities right. I was not pursuing the right things. But there came a time when God in His grace and mercy, and unconditional love showed me the Way.
The most important thing to have in life is love. It matters not how great we are in the world – all this shall pass away. As Paul penned the life changing words of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 13, we clearly see that If we don’t have love in our motives and actions, we have nothing of lasting value.
This is why the Lord Jesus told us our Heavenly Father knows what we need, and to “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all things we have need of will be given.” (Matt 6:32 -33) The Lord knows what we need, and what we need is love for the Creator, and for those He created, and for ourselves as the beautiful creation that we are in Him. We have that by pursuing righteousness and love – that is by taking our mind to Christ Jesus, who is our righteousness and love and wisdom, (1 Corinthians 1:30) at our first waking thought and plugging in to the source of all that is right. What follows is the fulfillment of His promises.
When we walk in faith in His promises, we will walk in His perfection. The day may not be as we had planned, but it will be right as we listen and stay open to follow the path He sets before us.. He always is a step or two ahead of us to keep us on the right path, leading us to do what is most important. Our day will be filled with love, and life, prosperity, and honor. When it is done, we will give thanks for a wonderful day and lay down to sleep in peace and satisfaction.
I leave you with this quote from Leo Buscaglia, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” These are right things to do.
Let us pursue and do the right things in life, and receive the blessings that follow – in His time, and in His way.
Be encouraged, and strengthened, and comforted by the truth of His Word.
I love you,
Poppa B.
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, On Line