for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (ESV)

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. (NIV)

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (NLT)

Theme Intro:

Being a follower of Christ involves the transformation of inward faith into outward actions, displaying the fruit of the spirit as it cultivates righteousness in our lives. Despite the challenges of our imperfections, pursuing righteousness is a journey worth taking. This month's goal is to help you embrace proactive obedience rooted in the enduring righteousness acquired through faith alone. We will put on the Breastplate of Righteousness to protect the heart's faithful intentions.

Dive Deeper:

Longing for Goodness

This month, we are exploring the theme of righteousness, which simply means right living in our character and conduct. It’s what it means to be good. Many of us have a deep desire to be good. We long to live a good life, but we often separate our hope for goodness from the way we actually live our lives. So this is the wrestle. We wrestle back and forth with our idealistic desires and our actual lives. How we spend our time, money, and energy is exhausting. We can regularly feel like our life is never lining up the way we deeply hope it will—with righteousness.

No True Individual

No matter how independent we think we are, following is a part of our DNA. From a young age, we look up to our parents and follow their lead. As we get older, our peers become more influential, and we begin to follow their path. As we become young adults, we look up to those farther along in life. We walk the path of those who carry lives we want to embody. So, the question we should be asking is not if we’re following someone. We all are. But instead, ask: “Who is it I’m following?” Because the answer to that question will determine your future.

The Way

Psalm 1 gives us this picture of two paths. One leads to the life of goodness we long for, and one leads to chaos and destruction. The Psalm seemingly gives us this choice. We need to ask ourselves who we are following and shape our lives around that way of living.

The Lord is the one we are following in this image. It says, “For the Lord knows the way,” which transforms everything. The way we long for isn’t an abstract way we search out on our own. It is one well paved by God himself. That word knows is the Hebrew word yāḏa. This word does not describe intellect or head knowledge. Instead, this is a word that points to relational knowing. This means walking the path of righteousness comes through walking in a relationship with God.

A Person

This concept gets even more personal when we look at Jesus. In John 14, Thomas asks Jesus, “How can we know the way?” And he responds: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 

So, to ask you again, “Who is it you’re following?” Because if we are looking for goodness, we must look to Jesus. He is the source of true righteousness and watches over those who follow after Him. Without Him, our path will lead to destruction. 

Written by Ben Hesch

Challenge:

Do an inventory. Who are you following? What of things other than Christ Himself that you are tempted to follow? Write them down and meditate on the life Jesus calls you to as a disciple of Him. Then, create a roadmap to following Him as the Way.