Proverbs 21:21 “He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.”
This was the proverb for our family this morning. We read a proverb and discuss it every morning, and generally the Holy Spirit leads us to understanding and helps us explain it to our children. Sometimes, it’s not so obvious or easy, and that was the case this morning. On those days it seems we need a practical lesson to understand it.
I personally have been struggling with many doubts, temptations, sin, and the accusations that go along with them that cause us to wonder if God grace really is sufficient. Every Christian man has been in that moment from time to time, and I am sure it is the same for women. Struggling with all that and being exhausted of it and crying out to God for relief made it rather difficult to deliver the Word to the children, let alone to understand it all myself. I can sympathize with a preacher’s off days!
I went on to work with a bad attitude but trying to maintain for my boss’ sake and the needs of the family. God gave me the opportunity to be a help for this lady who hired us when I saw that she was being taken advantage of by another contractor. God blessed her and ministered to my boss. The Lord gave me the courage to step up and offer to help this lady.
I did not know she was a Christian, but I was obliged to give the mercy she had been praying for. And I needed to follow righteousness. God my Father in Heaven rescued me by giving me a task, and because of His grace and kindness, enabled me to do what needed to be done. This lady got what she needed and gave God praise out loud, my boss was honored, I am humbled and full of gratitude, and my wife and children are comforted.
Here is true faith; when we struggle and wrestle with doubt and sins, we still believe and recognize opportunities to serve God in a Christ-like manner, that is, “Love one another.” God’s grace is sufficient for even me, and he overflows that grace to others who really need it also. I am sure there are thousands of Christian folks who can testify with these same kinds of days and blessings!
Follow righteousness and mercy and find life, righteousness, and honor. It is the way of peace and joy, and God receives the glory, honor, and praise for it all. We have all the more joy and life abundantly and the reassurance that the Holy Spirit is in us and is truly our helper. By these things we know we are children of the Most High God!
1John 1:6-9 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1John 3:18-23 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
