What is Righteousness?

"Proverbs 12:28-13:9

Take the long view

The writer of Proverbs encourages us to take the long view and stay in the way of ‘righteousness’ where ‘there is life; along that path is immortality’ (12:28). We need to avoid the temptation to focus just on the here and now, and act in the light of eternity.

What does a righteous life look like?

Listen to parental advice

‘A wise child heeds a parent’s instruction’ (13:1). Honouring parents is high on the list of God’s priorities. Family life and good parenting are so important. I do recommend The Parenting Book by Nicky and Sila Lee.

Guard your lips

‘Those who guard their lips guard their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin’ (v.3). It is impossible to overestimate the importance of our words and of controlling the tongue.

Work hard

‘The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied’ (v.4). Work is a blessing. Success can be hard work. It requires diligent perseverance. Winston Churchill said, ‘Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.’

Love the truth

‘The righteous hate what is false’ (v.5). We are to hate dishonesty and love the truth. Mark Twain once said, ‘If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.’

Be a person of integrity

‘Righteousness guards the person of integrity’ (v.6). Integrity does not mean being perfect. It means being honest, real and authentic (it is the opposite of hypocrisy). In his book, Integrity, the clinical psychologist Dr Henry Cloud writes that integrity ‘is the key to success. A person with integrity has the – often rare – ability to pull everything together, to make it all happen no matter how challenging the circumstances.’

Lord, help me to take the long view and to stay on the path of righteousness, life and immortality. Help me to be wise, to honour parents, to guard my lips, to work hard, to speak the truth and to live a life of integrity.

1. To live a life of truth - yes, Lord, thank You for never ever getting tired of reminding me about this.

2. Thank You for Skype, as if distance does not matter at all.

3. Thank You for the rest You give. Thank You for antibodies, too.