Get What You Pay For

Ever wonder why people get what they do. It never fails, that which you pay for is what you receive.

“²⁴What the wicked dreads will come upon him,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.”

— Proverbs 10:24 (ESV)

This morning I am continuing my study on the word “righteous” and remain in the book of Proverbs. In this chapter there are a number of references to the word righteous although I was led to verse 24 this morning. It struck me that what is in your heart is that which your are going to receive. Think about this for a moment. What is in the heart of the wicked, wickedness. What is in the heart of the righteous, the LORD.

The wicked are just that, wicked throughout. They are filled with evil even deep into their heart. So much so that they don’t even know that they are wicked. They go about things believing the opposite of the golden rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. And when it happens to them, they are somehow taken aback and cannot believe that someone would treat them as such. Their thoughts go to the golden rule and how the other person is not living by it, completely ignoring the fact that they were on the other side of things just a moment ago.

Now, think of the righteous. They are filled with the LORD deep into their heart. So much so that they put others before themselves. They go about things believing that it is better to give than receive. And when they do receive, they are blessed beyond belief at the goodness in others. Their thoughts go to how someone in such a position of need would be so generous to others.

This is the essence of getting what you paid for. The wicked pay daily for wickedness and the righteous pay for righteousness. The wicked go about things bringing to others the wickedness that they themselves want no part in. They dread being treated poorly to the point that they are active in punishing others to be the dominate one and others will avoid treating them poorly. As for the righteous, they go about things to bring joy to others. They are interested in spreading the glory of God and only desire that others receive the joy and spread it further.

What are you paying for? Are you dreading being treated poorly and yet somehow it is happening daily? What if you were to pay with the joy of the LORD and only desire that those you pay pass it on?

The House of the Righteous is Blessed

This explains to me the reason for the LORD’s sparing of the lives of the family of Noah, and the David’s prosperity throughout his household. The LORD blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

“³³The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.”

— Proverbs 3:33 (ESV)

Wherever there is the righteous, his house is blessed. The immediate household is the provision of the LORD. Where there is this thought that provision is the needs being met, I have to remember that needs are not just the physical. There are the emotional, social, spiritual, and others as well. The LORD ensures that all NEEDS are met.

As an adult educator, I understand that these other needs are important, to the point that I mention to all classes that for the participants in class to get anything out of the class, they have to be present in what I call the “allies”. These are, to name a few, physic”ally”, ment”ally”, emotion”ally”, etc. When one is distracted in any one of these areas, they are not able to focus and grow.

This is where and why I see the LORD blessing the full dwelling of the righteous. The LORD creates contentment in all the “allies” to ensure that the righteous are not distracted and are able to focus on the task of growing the kingdom of God here in this world. It is important for me to know that my wife and boys are doing well. When they are not, I am distracted with what I may have done or not done to cause them to be where they are, and yes, I know they are their own person and make their own choices and have to live with the consequences of those choices. I care for them none-the-less and will see things as though I was partially responsible and get distracted on what I should be doing in the name of the LORD.

The LORD provides and blesses to allow for His will to be done fully. In providing and blessing the house of the righteous, He is investing in the success of His plan and allows the righteous to focus on the task and be less concerned with all that goes on around them.

What are you seeing as you look at the house of the righteous? Are you questioning why they seem to have it all? What if you looked at it from the LORD’s calming the “allies” to allow for them to complete His work without distraction?

Seek Wisdom, Keep on the Path of the Righteous

I have been studying and writing on the word “righteous” and that to take on righteous actions we have to dwell in the LORD and work to do His will. This morning as I studied, I was brought to another realization. I have to also be seeking wisdom.

“¹My son, if you receive my words

and treasure up my commandments with you,

²making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

³yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

⁴if you seek it like silver

and search for it as for hidden treasures,

⁵then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.”

“²⁰So you will walk in the way of the good

and keep to the paths of the righteous.”

— Proverbs 2:1-5 & 20 (ESV)

I love learning. I love the idea and the practical results of it. As learning takes place, so does the positive results. Although the results may not come right away, they are still evident at some point when looking back at the learning that took place. This morning is no different. The paths of the righteous are where the wise are found.

I have to be clear that being wise does not mean intelligence, as there are a lot of people with extreme amounts of intelligence that do not actively use that intelligence. The wise are those who take in information and apply that learning as they move forward. It is the understanding of the implications of the learning and using that understanding to process things in the now and maintaining those into the future.

It is good to gain information and learn. It is however better to be wise and be able to apply the information. I have to remember to seek wisdom and not just information. The wisdom I gain will lead me to the paths of the righteous where I will encounter others who are working for the LORD as well. Yes, I will find others doing the will of the LORD on the paths of the righteous. As the seeking of wisdom is what comes from our seeking of the LORD and finding Him in our heart and working to His will which leads to the righteous actions found as we traverse the path.

That is a lot of talking in circles to get to the following point. It is important to seek wisdom. We find wisdom in the LORD. Wisdom leads to righteous action. Righteous action keeps us grounded on the path the LORD has for us.

What are you seeking? Are you looking for information to solve something? What if you sought wisdom in the LORD to know something and allowed that wisdom to lead you on the paths of the righteous?

Each Their Own Deliverance

Each of us have our own needs, and with those needs comes that which will deliver us. There is no cookie cutter response with the LORD as to our deliverance. Our conversations with the LORD should reflect this and we should be asking simply for Hid deliverance as opposed to some specific response.

“¹Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men;

preserve me from violent men,”

“¹²I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

and will execute justice for the needy.”

— Psalm 140:1 & 12 (ESV)

It is easy for me to pray that the LORD provide that which my neighbor received. The thing is, my needs are not the same as my neighbor, and the reality is that my neighbor was likely praying for deliverance and the result is God’s response in their time of need. Had I been in the same situation with the same need, the LORD would likely have provided in an entirely different way.

It is about the relationship I have with the LORD as to the deliverance that is provided to me. I may not have a physical need to be met, it may only be an emotional one. I have to ask for deliverance and be on the look out for it to come in any possible way.

“¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;

the upright shall dwell in your presence.”

— Psalm 140:13 (ESV)

And there is the process. I am to “give thanks” in the name of the LORD and know that when I “dwell” in Him, He will provide exactly what is needed for me to be delivered. Deliverance will be different things for different people. It is in our relationship with the LORD that we will be able to recognize our need and ask for deliverance as the will of the LORD.

Lori has a step brother who was headed down a challenging path in life through high school. He needed delivery. So, he joined the Navy to get out of the situation he was in. He took action and was delivered. A few years later he returned home for a few days and found and recognized himself leaning toward the challenges he had been delivered from and he promptly left to escape once again.

The LORD will provide for our needs and we have to remember that no matter how similar they may be to another, the deliverance will be unique to us, based on God’s plan for our lives. And, we have to understand that deliverance will likely not be passive on our end, we will have to take action. Thinking of Lori’s stepbrother, he was delivered thanks to his action to leave. The leaving may have been difficult, yet that was the deliverance provided by God.

What is your thoughts on deliverance? Are you looking for things to change, yet be the same, either in life or like your neighbor? What if you were to dwell in the LORD and open your heart to the action He would have for you to be delivered?

Seek Righteous From the LORD

“¹³⁷Righteous are you, O LORD,

and right are your rules.”

— Psalm 119:137 (ESV)

Go directly to the source. No reason to look anywhere else, the LORD is your first and only stop.

I work in a corporate world and as such there is a chain of command that is traditionally followed to get answers and seek advice. One starts with their peer, then their immediate supervisor, then the next level, and so on until the answer is received or you have reached the top. There is no need and it is not proper to skip everyone and start with the top.

Well, we do not live in a corporate world when it comes to our spiritual lives as Christians. It used to be that way before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. But the New Covenant removes all the bureaucracy and layers of intercession. We now have direct access to the top. We now have the open invitation and expectation to go directly to the LORD for answers and to seek advice. He is the source of all creation and we should seek Him out for the answers. As the LORD is the source of all creation and He is the only one to recognize the righteous, we should be seeking understanding from Him, the source.

“¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever;

give me understanding that I may live.”

— Psalm 119:144 (ESV)

We know that the LORD has all of the answers. He created all and knows all and unlike some in this world, He wants us to come to Him and He will not keep things from us. We are instructed and expected to come to Him for the answers to our questions and direction as to where to and how to proceed. Yes, sometimes it does seem as though we are not getting straight answers and frankly even this morning in my prayers, I asked Him to hit me over the head with direction as I do not so easily see or hear or understand things when He whispers. But, I know that He will give me the answers to the questions I ask. I have to remember that with the LORD, I can and am expected to come directly to Him and He will not turn me away.

Where are you going for your answers? Are you looking to find answers from somewhere in this world and going through layers of hierarchy to get there? What if in your spiritual life, you were to go directly to the source of all, God the Father, as He wants to hear from you?

Righteous, In The Heart

Righteous actions are seen on the outside and displayed for the world to see. By seeing the righteous actions follow it as the example of what right looks like. Yet, there is more to it than just the outward visible actions of being righteous.

“¹⁰Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in him!

Let all the upright in heart exult!”

— Psalm 64:10 (ESV)

Being righteous starts in the heart. Righteous actions are the outward display of being upright in the heart. Being righteous is taking action based on the will of the LORD and not for or expecting anything in return. There is nothing from the world that will make the actions worth while. The worth while comes from the LORD and rejoicing in His greatness.

This weekend I am helping my son move across town. Yes, he is my son and it is my duty to provide for him and his brother, yet this is his life and his move. I have no stake in where he lives and have no say either. I will labor with and for him as an act of love and service. And, I expect nothing in return for my actions. I know what you may be thinking, how is helping someone move a righteous action. Well it may not be, but it is an example of service and actions that come from the heart where the world has no ability to make it worth while.

We have to take on more righteous actions that come from the heart and expect nothing in return from the world. The reality it that the would will be suspicious of our actions no matter what actions we take on that do not fit the glorification of the world view. And that is okay by me, as I am not here to please the world, I am here to please the LORD.

Chapter 64 in Psalms is titled “Hide Me from the Wicked” in my English Standard Version (ESV) bible. And verse ten above is the last verse in the chapter. We should be asking the LORD to “hide” us from the wickedness in the world, and look for shelter “in him”. We have to take on righteous actions, but ensure that they are coming from the heart where we are lifting up the LORD with each of them.

Where are your actions coming from? Are you bringing them to the world from a place of self-aggrandizement and looking for something in return? What if you looked inward to your heart and brought forth actions to exult the LORD, since He has hidden you in Him?

Righteous Through Refuge in the LORD

“³⁹The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰The LORD helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.”

— Psalm 37:39-40 (ESV)

The righteous are not righteous because they do righteous actions. They are righteous “because the take refuge in him”, the LORD.

Bad actors do things that seem righteous. Think of the tyrant that gives to charity. Or the billionaire that stops on the street to lift up a vagrant. And think of the authoritarian that shows up at the plant owned for a visit and gives everyone a company t-shirt. Are these to be considered righteous. I say no, as when they occur once, they are the anomaly and serve more as ego photo ops as opposed to righteous actions done out of love. Don’t get me wrong, I do not take away from the actions and the impact they have, I only take issue with the thought that these actions are somehow righteous.

It is the righteous actions that come from the heart and in response to the will of God that He sees, hears, delivers, and saves. The actions themselves are good in the moment and will impact in that moment. It is the response to the will of the LORD that really does the work. The righteous do not take action for themselves, they take action for the LORD. It is the dwelling place of the LORD in the heart of the individual that leads to the righteous action.

The righteous focus their attention on the LORD and seek His guidance into where to focus energy for His glory. His glory will likely come at sacrifice to the individual, yet that sacrifice is not even noticed as the righteous see only the work for the LORD and not on themselves.

Bad actors are more concerned with their own “appearance” and lose sight of the glory of the LORD. The righteous find refuge in the LORD and are not concerned with how things look to the outside world. This is where the LORD takes up delivering the righteous from the world and provides the safety and security of His glory.

From where are your actions coming? Are they coming from you desire to be viewed in some way? What if you were to find your actions in the glory of the LORD as you dwell with Him?

The Righteous Have Endless Giving

Have you ever wondered how some can give and give and give and never seem to be wanting? I know that I have seen folks who always seem to be in the fold of providing for the needy and yet, they themselves seem as though they could use some help themselves. On the outside, they seem less than flush monetarily, yet they are always providing for others.

“²⁵I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

²⁶He is ever lending generously,

and his children become a blessing.”

— Psalm 37:25-26 (ESV)

This morning I was reminded that the righteous are always taken care of by God and that they think less of themselves to be generous with others. In the verse above I am reminded that those who are generous with others when they seem to be in need themselves is a product of their righteous actions and being cared for by God as they do the work He has assigned them.

I look at myself and what we have in our lives monetarily. We are not rich by any means. Our newest car is a 2005 model and has 250k miles. We live in a modest home. We do not have the latest fashions and the computer I am typing on right now will not support Windows 11. Yet, we have the chance every day to make an impact on those around us. We recently supported a program that provides for the elderly in assisted living spaces that are in need of basic living items. No, not a big fanfare of things but giving none the less.

I am not saying that I or my wife are righteous. What I am saying is that if you just look at the outside of folks, you may not see the whole picture of what God has provided. Contentment in what you have now, does not mean that you are destitute in the LORD. He will care for those who put Him first in ways that society does not understand.

When actions are done in the name of the LORD, there is nothing that will stand in the way of the giving. There is no bottom to the barrel. There is no end to the provision of the LORD. Remember what Jesus did with the boy’s lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish.

“¹⁹Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. ²¹And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” – Matthew 14:19-21 (ESV)

There is endless generosity that is from the righteous. It may not be large sums of monetary help, but the righteous are always there to help. It could be giving a ride, or giving some clothes, or providing lunch, the righteous actions are there in the time of need regardless of the extent of the monetary ability of those providing.

What is your experience with generosity? Are you looking to the rich to do all the work as they have the financial means? What if you were to simply look to provide what you can when the need arises and allow the LORD to multiply the generosity of the righteous action?

The LORD is Aware

The LORD is aware of all that is going on. I know, that is something that is certainly a given. But I believe that we may forget, or avoid that fact as we go through this world. It does not matter what it is that I am doing, God is always aware of my actions. Some of those actions are righteous and pleasing to Him and others, not so much.

“¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous

and his ears toward their cry.

¹⁶The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.”

— Psalm 34:15-18 (ESV)

Notice the wording here in the Psalms. The LORD is paying attention fully to the righteous. He sees them, hears them, delivers them, and saves them. And what about those who are not righteous? Remember, that only the LORD can declare one as righteous. I am unknown to be righteous on my own. It takes God to recognize it and declare it. I can only do righteous actions and have hope, or the confident expectation that the LORD will see me, hear me, deliver me, and save me as as result of those actions.

Then there are those who do evil. This is not those that backslide and are not doing righteous actions, this is those who are intentionally doing things against the LORD. Notice that the LORD will not see, hear, deliver, or save them. He will in fact cut them off from the rest of the world. The LORD is aware, yet He will not acknowledge them as His to be seen, heard, delivered, or saved when they are taking of the evil actions.

Now, if everyone has the chance to turn to the LORD, where does this put those who are not seen, heard, delivered, or saved. That is where those righteous actions done in the name of the LORD play out. It is those righteous actions of bringing the good news to everyone where all have that chance to find the LORD. Even those who do evil. Those bringing the good news are holding to the righteous actions of the LORD and He is aware. And those who receive the good news and take Him into their heart and turn to Him and away from evil, will be seen, heard, delivered, and saved.

It is the full commitment to the LORD and the good news that was shared that turns our actions from self-centered to God-centered and in doing so, those actions become righteous and now the LORD sees, hears, delivers, and saves.

Again, these actions and the acceptance of the LORD do not make us righteous, only our actions can be righteous and in line with His plan. Continued righteous actions and my hearts full devotion to the LORD is where I have to be. When I am there, maybe the LORD will count me as righteous. But again, that is not for me to worry with, I am only to do the will of the LORD as I know that He is aware.

What actions are you doing? Are you seen, heard, delivered, and saved by the LORD? What if you focused your attention on doing the righteous actions and devoting your heart to the LORD knowing that He is aware?

Guidelines for Righteous

I am a sinner who needs guidance in my life to ensure that I am on the path God would have me on. I am not able to do it on my own.

“⁷The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple;

⁸the precepts of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

⁹the fear of the Lord is clean,

enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true,

and righteous altogether.”

— Psalm 19:7-9 (ESV)

And there it is, the guideline for me in my navigation of this world. These are telling me that the LORD is the guideline. That is all I need to know and where I should look to for the guidance in avoiding sin.

God’s Word is where I have to look. He has provided the road map for me to reach righteous. As I recently wrote, righteous comes from Him. He is the place to go when needing direction. And that direction is needed at all times.

Yes, I am a born again Christian saved by the grace of God and some might think that I have reached the pinnacle of the Christian faith. And where I have been forgiven of my sins, I have not been made sinless.

Just yesterday I committed sins that I continue to commit. I seem to get tempted into them and find it difficult to avoid. The LORD sees and feels my sin and loves me anyway. He waits for me to repent, knowing that I will continue to struggle with that sin. And He forgives me. He knows that I am His and that when I come to Him I am repentant. He knows I don’t “want” to sin, that it is just a part of me being a sinner.

The LORD has placed this media in my path as a way to share my thoughts on His Word. I will again say that I am not a biblical or theological scholar by any means. I am just a sinner who is working to do the will of God and share Him with as many I can. I am not afraid for you hear that I struggle with sin as you are the same as I in that respect.

I am not asking anyone to see me as righteous as only God can declare me righteous. I can only do things that will be considered righteous. I can do those things that are in God’s plan and impact the people in my life with His Word. I need a guideline and outline of how to go about doing those righteous things. In God’s Word I find what I need. Here in the verses above I see the guidance toward those righteous things. Following the law, testimony, precepts, commandments, fear, and the rules of the LORD lead me in the right path.

What are your guidelines? Are you looking to the world to get you on target? What if you followed the LORD and used His Word as your guidelines for righteous?