Walk Of Life- Day 20, May 2021- Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs. MAY
MAY WE WALK IN INTEGRITY.
Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous who walks in his integrity- blessed are his children after him!”
I often hear my father share his childhood experiences. He shares a small instance where he went along with his mother to a field. When the field is watered the mud becomes sticky, holding the foot prints of people who walk on it. My father carefully placed his foot in the foot prints of his mother. It was a find play for him as a child. Most of us share the same memory I believe. Though it is not a foot print, but we try to imitate our parents in whichever way we can. Girls tend to dress up like their mother, whereas boys like to behave manly and responsible like their father. This makes it clear that as a parent or an elder, we are under continuous observation. We feel that children do not notice most of the things that we do. Even if they do we assume that their little brains cannot understand what is going on. It is true that they cannot understand most of the things happening around them. That is the reason they follow everything that they see their parents do.
Long back I have seen an advertisement in which two children demonstrate a play to their parents and neighbours. After seeing their play the parents are embarassed and the neighbours flabbergasted. It is because the children enact as their parents and show a glimpse of what happens at home everyday.
The verse that we read today from Proverbs 20:7 tells us that the children of the righteous who walk in integrity are blessed. It is because the children learn from their parents. They see them as their role model. The Word of God clearly tells us that our deeds have a great impact on the people who are watching us. It is not just of the parents, but for every believer, either a Sunday School student or a youth member or a so called elder. Irrespective of your age, once you become the child of God, the people among whom you live take you as an inspiration. What should we be showing them? How can we lead a righteous life all the time?
It is really tough to lead a righteous life all the time, but it is not impossible. This does not mean that we need to be hypocrites acting good when people are watching us. Hypocrisy is not required and not suggested at any time.
To lead a righteous life, to set a good example for children in Christ, one has to put on the Lord Jesus Christ all the time. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, when you put on Him, people no longer see you, but they see the Lord Jesus Christ through you. In whatever you do, even when you sit idle, submit yourself to the Lord Jesus and as Him to cover you with His righteousness.
When you do this, that is, when you put on the Lord Jesus at all circumstances, it makes you more aware of the responsibility that you as His child bear. You are not bearing a normal name,but the most holy name, the most Holy God. When you realise this you can never commit any wrong deed.
May we surrender ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, acknowledging all our ways to Him, who helps us, covers us with His righteousness and sets a good example for the people who look up to us.
