Follow!

Follow!

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. Proverbs 21:21 KJV

The Inspiration:

Solomon is credited with most of the words in Proverbs. His story is one of those that do not make sense from a logical perspective. He came from a relationship that was founded on adultery and murder, with David his father the one who killed his mother's first husband, Uriah. What made this action even more horrible was that Uriah was one of David's mighty men, who would defend David with his life, yet when it came to David's desire, he did not mind doing away with anyone in his way. Be careful of the actions and decisions you take today; the end of all life is very important, because eternal reward or punishment will definitely be applied to all men. God is the rewarder of all who diligently seek Him; He loves to guide and lead, and all who willingly submit to Him access his grace.

The Contention:

It is very important to sort out the examples you want to pattern your life after; the person you follow will define your earthly impact and your eternal reality. I note that the verse above emphasizes 'following'. We all must follow someone or something. Even if you are the leader of many men or the manager of many resources today, you did not start as a leader. There is a process of following that leads to impact. Right now, how am I following? Following the right way requires that I recognize the leader, believe in Him and obey His instructions carefully and promptly. Today's verse defines the leader: one who is righteous and also dispenses mercy. If I follow Him truly, my life must truly reflect Him. He cannot lead me in mercy and righteousness, and I will live in sin and unrighteousness. 

The Conclusion:

Of course, what you seek is what you get. You cannot plant corn and then fast and pray to harvest yam. God can perform miracles, but one of His principles is that you reap what you sow, but usually in larger quantities than you sowed. The verse above makes it clear that if I seek after righteousness and mercy, I find the same righteousness and mercy, as well as life and honour also. You seek that which is not physical to the eyes, yet you get that which the world cannot ignore. Righteousness and mercy are first internal, but the blessings that come from the search will definitely be celebrated by all men. If I seek honour from God, the key is in searching for all of God. I must not settle for anything less than God's best and all. God's time of favour is here.