Daily Devotional – Saturday, September 21, 2024
Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Proverbs 21:21 (NKJV)
Does it pay to live righteously? Do the rewards have to wait until Jesus comes? King Solomon, a man who had experienced both being in God’s presence and rebelling from the Almighty, had no doubts as to the rewards of righteousness and love.
Pursue Righteousness
The pursuit of righteousness (yes, we have to actively seek after God) pays us back with life, prosperity, and honor. Only a life aligned with God’s will can be genuinely fulfilling and productive. Similarly, if we want spiritual and material prosperity and respect, we can only get them from obeying God from the heart.
Solomon’s invitation contrasts powerfully with popular notions that encourage us to seek pleasure as an end in itself. In our daily lives, it is easy to get distracted by the desire for comfort, popularity, or even success. In contrast, God wants us to focus on obeying Him.
Being morally upright involves emulating Christ in all of our decisions and interactions with others. Consistent, uncompromising, and selfless, God’s covenant love for us is reflected in unwavering love, also known as steadfast love.
The Rewards of Righteousness and Love
Far from being a mundane and colorless life, a just existence is the best one can enjoy on earth. The deal gets even sweeter when one realizes that eternal life in the presence of God awaits the righteous.
Think about the spheres of your life where you can actively seek out love and righteousness. Which adjustments can you make right now to get closer to God’s heart? Prioritizing righteousness results in more meaningful relationships between God and others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of righteousness, which rewards me with life, prosperity, and honor.
