The Pursuit
Proverbs 21:21 reads, “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find joy, righteousness and honor.” I think we’re all pursuing joy in one way or another, but I think it’s interesting that at least in this instance, joy is found by pursuing righteousness.
Mark Driscoll once said that it was interesting how the founders of America worded the Declaration of Independence. They wrote that God had granted everyone the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We’re free to pursue it, but to actually find it, well, that’s another story. I think that wording has in large part defined America. What is the “American Dream” but the pursuit of happiness by any means possible?
Americans are looking for joy, satisfaction and contentment. The problem is, they aren’t finding it. We live in a depressed, medicated society. It seems like the happiness that many are pursuing now is simply the next thing to distract them from a hopeless, meaningless life. What is the next style, the next piece of technology, the next drug, the next…? We like to think of ourselves as rational, but what has that “rationality” gained us? I’d like to say that it’s different with Christians, but as Marilynne Robinson so aptly described in her book The Death of Adam, for most Christians conversion just means we buy junk at a different store (our set up our identity on a different social networking site).
I love the way the prophet Jeremiah addressed a similar problem with the nation of Israel. He wrote that God’s people had committed two sins. They had forsaken Him, the fountain of living water, and hewed cisterns for themselves that can hold no water. In a rare moment of clarity I can see myself hurriedly dumping water into a broken cistern trying to hide the brokenness and convince myself it isn’t empty. It helps me remember the time Paul quoted David and said no one was righteous, that in fact, we’re all worthless. So if righteousness is joy, how can we find it?
As an old man, Jesus’ friend John wrote to encourage the churches dealing with false teaching. He told them that if they wanted to have joy, they would put off darkness and walk in the light, in fellowship with God and in community with other believers. Basically he reminded them of the fountain of living water. The one that’s available to the children of God. The one that makes us righteous through faith. Which brings us to Proverbs 11:28.
“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall.” Whoever drinks from the broken cistern will fall. Whoever looks for happiness in relationships, in wealth, in sex or lust, in power, will fall. Whoever looks for joy outside of Christ will fall.
“but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” The righteous will be alive. The righteous will be healthy in their soul. The one who finds their joy in Christ, the fountain of living water, the propitiation for our sins, will have life! As Christians we must not forget the joy of our salvation for broken cisterns, we must return daily to the fountain that flows from Christ. Our joy is possible because of Christ crucified and made available in him. We flourish like a green leaf when we pursue him by faith, and that’s the green that never fades.
