Proverbs 21

Let’s consider “religious” action.
What I mean by that is acting religious. We’ve all witnessed artificial humility, service with ulterior motives and feigned piety. Yet none of this is Biblical. In fact, one could argue such behavior is what Jesus railed on the Pharisees about.
Verses 2-3: We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives. Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance. (Message)
Many times we show up to church or some other religious function and we try to “look” right. We dress a certain way, we know Christian-ease, we talk to the right people in the right fashion and yet it is all meaningless. God knows our motives behind those actions.
If we are covering anger and resentment with the “nice-guy” facade God sees the anger and resentment as well as the lie of the role we chose.
We put on an Italian suite and yet our skin crawls beneath the fine imported fabric. God sees the dirt we are hiding inside. Our fears are realized. We are found out. We hid it from many but not God.
We ask how people are doing and pray they don’t really tell us. We have shallow conversations with “brothers and sisters” and grow uncomfortable when it gets real. We can talk about whatever; God knows how we feel and what we think.
Something I have recently learned is that God is not concerned with where I “serve” at the church. God is concerned, in order, with my relationship with Him, my wife, my kids and then my ministry.
But let’s take that a step farther. “Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance.” So, in all the priorities above resides my ministry. It is in my walk with the Lord and my ministry to my family. That spills over to “clean living….and justice with our neighbors.”
How we truly live our lives day in and day out is our ministry. That is why God is most interested in that. What have we gained if we go to church every week and serve on the deacon board and yet treat our spouse with contempt, are intolerant of our children and gossip about those around us? We have gained nothing.
Verse 23 tells us, “He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” (NIV) This, then, is our charge today and each day we live on this Earth. If we pursue righteousness instead of acting righteous we will find life.
The cool thing about God is that even if we have gotten that wrong every day up until today we can begin to change now.

Gods Speed,Greg