This transcript was generated by whisper.ai.

(upbeat music) - Welcome to our study of Proverbs and daily tribe time
devotions. I am Pastor Tom Holiday. We are looking at Proverbs chapter 21.

Let me begin by asking you a question. Do you want to be rich? The kind of rich
you can really enjoy?

You want to enjoy stress-free living and total confidence that your daily needs
are going to be met? Well, I'm not about to pitch the latest, greatest infomercial
on how to get rich quick. This is a look at Proverbs.

And the best guide, the best book I know on how to handle the finances in our
lives and understand what true riches are all about is the Bible. And Proverbs
has a lot to say about true riches. Proverbs chapter 21, the verse I'd like to
focus on is verse 21.

It's a scripture that talks to us about how to find life and prosperity and
honor, true life and prosperity and honor. That verse says this. He who pursues
righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.

The answer, the key, is in what you pursue. You want true riches? You want true
life?

You want true honor? The key is in what you pursue. He who pursues righteousness
and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.

Now, the amazing thing about this answer is that at first glance, it just
doesn't make sense. In order to find life, you have to give it away. You see,
righteousness and love are in essence other focused living.

If I'm self-seeking, if I'm protective in the way that I live my life, it's only
going to lead to a need to be more self-seeking and more protective. People who
build walls to protect their stuff have to keep building bigger and bigger and
better and better walls to protect their stuff. They can't find the peace
they're looking for because it's not in their stuff.

I'm not saying we shouldn't protect things that need to be protected. I'm saying
that if the things are all we have, then we're never going to find the joy that
we're looking for. You can't bring peace out of things.

Outward focused people, people who are focused on others and serving others,
those are the people who enjoy the people that are around them, the
circumstances that are around them, and the opportunities that are around them
because they see the blessing in each moment of life and they seek wisdom from
the Lord. And the result of that, when you begin to pursue righteousness, living
out the right kind of relationship with God and others that he's made you to
live out, that's really what righteousness means. It has to do with living,
acting in ways that live out the right relationship with God and the right
relationship with others that God's created you to live.

When I pursue that righteousness and love, that's where I find life. That's even
where I find prosperity, genuine riches. That's where I find honor.

The idea here is that is when life is full. You see the abundance of the
blessings of God when you become a person of character. What this verse is
saying is this is the rich way to live.

What a rich way to live. You don't have to purchase any newest kitchen gadget
and three easy payments. You pursue righteousness.

You pursue love. Let's ask God for strength to pursue righteousness and love
today. Lord, as we talk to you for a few moments, it's easy to pursue the wrong
things.

It's so easy to get caught up in chasing after this and chasing after that and
this seems important and that seems important and I've got to get this done and
it happens to me every day. Lord, today, would you remind us to run after the
important things instead of running all day long and getting to the end of the
day and wondering what in the world we ran after? Help us today to pursue
righteousness.

Our relationship with you, our relationship with others, the kind of character
that you want for our lives. Help us to run after that and help us to chase
after love. Not a feudal chase but a chase that recognizes that I can do
something today.

I can act in love towards you. I can act in love towards others. Help me to put
my energy into that today, Jesus.

I need your strength to do that. Can't do it alone. So give me the strength to
run after that which is most important today.

The character that you want in my life and relationships and the love that you
want to express through my life and relationships. Help me to choose that today,
Jesus. I pray this in your name, amen.