Proverbs 21.21
“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
A central theme in the book of Proverbs is the admonition to relentlessly pursue wisdom, righteousness, and love. Scripture tells us that the pursuit of God’s wisdom and standards will yield great blessing. The Proverb quoted above says that as a result of the relentless pursuit of rightness and love we will find “life, righteousness, and honor.”
I love this picture. The Christian life is a relentless, lifelong pursuit. As a result of that pursuit we discover and “find” all of the good things the Lord wants for us. While it is true that the Lord gives us gifts and blessings, it is also true that many of those blessings are only discovered through relentless pursuit.
I wonder how many Christians fail to find what God wants for them because instead of doing the daily work of pursuing wisdom and rightness, they passively wait for God to give them something? This is the mistake of wanting and waiting without working.
*Note: “Waiting on the Lord” does not mean not working.
Here is what Solmon says early in the Book of Proverbs: “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3.3-4).
This passage gives us action steps for the relentless pursuit. First, bind them around your neck. Wear love and truth like a necklace or scarf. The picture Solomon paints is a person getting dressed in preparation for the day. In the same way every day that you choose the clothes you will wear, so should you choose the virtues that you will “wear.” Make love and truth a part of your daily attire.
Second, write them on the tablet of your heart. This is the daily act of intentionally inscribing the virtues of love and truth on your heart. The English word “character” comes from a Greek word which means “to stamp or engrave.” You are the author of your character. You are the person who decides if love and truth are engraved and inscribed on your heart.
The benefit you receive is “favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” When you live a life of love and truth, God will bless you and people will trust you. As a result, you will have success in what you do.
This is not a promise that love and truth will always lead to success in everything. It is a classic Proverbs description of the “physics” of life. Most of the time in most situations, a life of truth and love will be much more successful than a life of deceitfulness and indifference.
In the authentic Christian life, truth and love work together. As Paul says in Ephesians, “Speak the truth in love.” The authentic Christian withholds neither truth nor love. If we speak the truth without love, we are not being truthful. If we love without speaking the truth, we are not being loving. Truth is harsh & damaging if not tempered by love. Love is weak & damaging if not directed by truth.
Truth is the “what” of our lives; love is the “why and how.” The combination of real truth & real love should be our guide at work and at home. Not the fake stuff the world promotes, but the real stuff the Lord gives. Again, truth is harsh & damaging if not tempered by love; love is weak & damaging if not directed by truth.
Trust God, and do the daily work of relentlessly pursuing wisdom and rightness.
