The Devotional – 1434 – Stewardship is Righteous Living.

The Devotional – 1434 – Stewardship is Righteous Living.

Proverbs 12:28 – In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

 Comments and challenges

Throughout the Living Word of God there is the ongoing challenge to live righteously, even here in Proverbs 12 we see this; verses 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13, 17, 21, 26 and 28. Additionally many if not all of the verses speak of the conditions of righteousness and the effects of unrighteousness. For the person who walks the fence there is stumbling, failure and despair, so do we as believers… stumble, fail and lose hope? Well you know the answer; yes we can, but it is not the norm. The saint of God through faith can avoid the distractions of unrighteous behavior by “stewardship”.

As simple as I can say it; our human eyes often focus on the performance of others around us and our inner eyes focus on our own personal performance. If we are not spiritually careful can become distracted from keeping our eyes on Righteousness; the LORD our Righteousness: Righteousness is not our normal pathway, it is the LORD’s way; a way that He is willing to share with us. This thought is not promoting a sinless life, but I do believe that we have a lot of spring cleaning in our personal walk with the LORD and each of us should do better, remember the LORD is at hand, Proverbs 24:30-34.

Notice also how the apostle Paul writes in Romans 13:11-14, passages that we have covered before: And do this. Knowing the time, that now is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. Put on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

For me this is casting off unrighteous works, works that can and do develop in the saints’ life. If he or she is lacking the personal effort of maintaining stewardship over their relationship to the LORD; unrighteousness becomes the only pathway for these folks. The epistles are written for admonition; to warn, reprove mildly or aggressively and to exhort the saints of God to wake up to Righteousness. Notice too how the apostle James puts this into perspective.

James 3:13-18 – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

The thoughts that I have about this is that “stewardship” is first, Spirit filled; secondly, Spirit motivated and lastly, spiritually included in our daily activities; as the apostle says… “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” if you are not a peace keeper, than you are a trouble maker.