The truly righteous attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death. The Lord detests those who have a perverse heart, but He delights in those whose way is blameless. Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free. ~Proverbs 11:19-21
Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations. ~Isaiah 51:7-8
This is truly a main theme for Solomon, assurance that evil will not prevail, that God does disapprove. He is in control and we must be confident in that as a fact in Him!! This is now the third day in a row that we are hammering on the same theme. First, we said that kindness will triumph over evil. Then, yesterday, we talked about staying the righteous course that God has laid out will triumph over deceptive wages and practices. Today, the proverbs could be seen as just more of the same. Good triumphing over evil is definitely one of Solomon’s main themes. That is probably so because we are so easily discouraged and tempted to question our resolve. We easily begin to wonder. Did I really hear God? Am I really going the right way? We often don’t trust ourselves and wonder if we understood God correctly. Confusion and self-doubt are tools of satan to take us off course.
So, Solomon reassures us that those who pursue righteousness will gain life. It’s not possible to be, “truly righteous,” and be evil. If the heart is not intent on evil, but wants to be righteous and pleasing to God, the righteous one will succeed in their goal. Sure, we can make mistakes, or falter, God can work with that. In this case, the truly righteous is pitted against the one who, “pursues,” evil, those deceptive wages again, because they see it as the fast track to obtain their goals.
Sometimes, I think that Christians are afraid to start, out of fear that they will make a mistake, or get it wrong. They are afraid to share their faith because they might get asked a question that they don’t know the answer to. They are afraid to serve because they might get criticized. They can be afraid to give because…etc. etc. etc.
Christians are good at self-doubt and talking themselves out of putting the first foot forward. It’s not up to us alone though. God is guiding and consider this, when is a car easier to steer, when it is in park or when it’s moving? God can steer, if we let Him, when we are on the move. We don’t want to run ahead of Him and put our own foot on the gas or brakes. Let Him be in control, for His righteousness sake. Put your fears in the trunk and let Him give you the ride of your life.
It’s all about the heart. It’s all about what you’re focused on. That is what is being addressed here, but consider God’s direct words to us through Isaiah: “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts:” Is that you? “Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.” They’re in the trunk now, remember?”
“For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool.” Good riddance!
“But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.” Yea!
Prayer: Father, thank You again for Words of Truth. Your wisdom and Your righteousness are more correct than my natural conscience. Help me to be transformed by the renewing of my mind to think the way You do, with love, mercy, kindness and generosity towards all. Strengthen me to act according to the convictions that the Holy Spirit places in my heart and soul, to act by faith even when it goes against the “common sense” of the natural mind, and to trust that Your righteousness will prevail, even when it looks like it couldn’t possibly work, just like Jesus’ death on the cross looked like the end and the world’s greatest loss, but was really the beginning of the world’s greatest victory! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: God Is on The Move
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