what's right with righteousness

The Word of God is powerful.  Maybe you have experienced that reality as many people I have talked to when the Bible became a big part of their lives.  It has also become a big part of my life and my family.  There is transformation and change that happens when we read the Bible and even more when we apply what it says.

About 18 years ago that I was sitting in a conference room in north Georgia listening to a pastor I greatly respect talk about how God changed His life.  One of the big things that impacted him was daily reading the Bible and especially reading Proverbs.  I listened and applied that to my life.  You most likely have heard or read me talk about the importance of reading Scripture.  You have most likely been encouraged by me to read Proverbs.  18 years later I continue daily reading the book of wisdom from the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon who wrote Proverbs.

Yesterday was one of those days.  It was chapter 11 because yesterday was the 11th day of the month.  The thoughts that rolled through my mind much of the day led me to read it again in the evening.  It was then that I took a look at the contrast of the wicked and the righteous.  God will bless the righteous.  Notice what God says in Proverbs 11 about what happens to us when we claim and live righteous lives:

Verse 2 ---   with humility comes wisdom

            ---   pride leads to disgrace

Verse 3 ---   honesty guides

            ---   dishonesty destroys

Verse 13 ---   gossips tell lies

            ---   trustworthy keep confidence

Verse 17 ---   kindness rewards you

            ---   cruelty destroys you

Verse 19 ---   godly people find life

            ---   evil people find death

Verse 20 ---   God delights in integrity

            ---   God detests crooked hearts

Verse 23 ---   godly look for reward

            ---   wicked expect judgment

Verse 24 ---   give freely and become wealthy

            ---   be stingy and lose everything

Verse 25 ---   the generous will prosper and will be refreshed

Verse 30 ---   seeds of good deeds become tree of life

May God teach us to long for His righteousness.  May our lives demonstrate His righteousness.  May we desire to be right not so we can be better than others or to gloat.  But may our lives be the example others need when life stinks because we have found and experienced the grace of God that leads to righteousness!