“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor” Proverbs 21:21 (NIV).
Proverbs is a book of wise sayings written mostly by a man named Solomon who was the son of King David and Bathsheba. The word “proverb” comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rule or to govern.”
The above scripture is an encouragement to those who desire to be Righteous (integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting; the condition acceptable to God ) because when you desire to be right with God and actively pursue Him, God desires to do right by you. Solomon is saying through the unction of the Holy Spirit, if you will pursue; meaning to follow eagerly or with haste; to chase that which is pleasing and acceptable to God, then God will reward you with benefits that cannot come through any other source.
I have a cute little Yorkie named Kirby and everywhere I go... he follows almost to the point of my stepping on him. He knows that he will get my affection and undivided attention if he eagerly chases after me. Imagine yourself being that persistent with God. If Kirby were to sit in the corner all day, he would miss the stroke of my hand upon his fur and the words of love I speak to him. What he craves; he goes after with diligence.
We too should crave the benefits of God. Some say going after a reward is a wrong motive, but what if the reward is Life, Prosperity, and Honor. These are some rewards we need to desire and expect when we chase after Righteousness.
Solomon said that the one who followed after Righteousness and mercy finds life. This life that Solomon was referring to was not simply living from day to day without purpose, but it’s living day to day ON PURPOSE and WITH PURPOSE. It’s like springtime after winter when the green leaves replace the barren branches and like fresh flowing water from a once empty well. God wants to give us a life of abundance, not just an existence. Jesus said in the book of John (10:10), “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The Lord knows the condition of your heart and will bring back to you what you have sown towards Him and others. “The Lord searches the heart and examines the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve” Jeremiah 17:10.
And lastly, God wants to bring honor which is glory, abundance, riches, splendor, and dignity to you and me! He loves to open up the windows of heaven over the one who follows after Him with pure motives. We fail to realize that the abundance that God has for us far outweighs worldly gain. He desires to give us what cannot be obtained on our own. He is the source of everything that is good and ultimately every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
