"A Righteous Man"

“The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.” (Proverbs 23:24 ESV)

The greatest act we can do for our children is to act as godly Christians. They will emulate our love and compassion for God and those around us. Our children pick up our traits that they see every day. A child raised around violence and profanity will be a man or woman of violence and profanity, and the vicious chain will continue in that lineage.

God displays His traits in His creation. The glory of spring blooms reflects the never-ending glory of God. We, as His children, display His love and mercy for us in our lives. This is pleasing to God. Jonathan Edwards wrote, “God is seeking His glory, (which He seeks and delights in, as He delights in Himself and His own eternal glory) implies the communicated excellency and happiness of His creatures. And in communicating His fullness to them, He does it for Himself, because of their good, which He seeks, is so much in union and communication with Him.” 1

God’s glory is found in our happiness in Him. This can only be accomplished (our happiness) when we walk in His way. When we provide the grace, mercy, and love He provides to us, to others, that happiness is reflected back to God. Our children see our happiness and contentment in God, and they then desire that very same thing because we have displayed God in our lives to them.

My son recently asked me, “Dad, how can you not worry about anything that’s going on in this world?” He asked me this because, not that I do not worry ever, but because he sees my contentment in life, which reflects my faith in the providence of God. It is my happiness, my passion for God. He wants that, and I, as a parent, want Him to have that same depth of trust and faith.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We are to be imitators of God. In scripture, we read of God’s love and mercy for creation, as well as His wrath against those who are rebellious in sin. We read of Christ’s life, ministry, and sacrifice that we might be saved by grace through faith in Him. We are to imitate these things in our lives and reflect that light of God through us. Like my son, others will see this and desire the same happiness and joy in their lives.

I have written this many times, only because I believe Pastor John Piper is correct. “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” That satisfaction is gifted to us by God. Edwards reminds us that God is our good, and he also wrote, “Their excellency and happiness is nothing but the emanation and expression of God’s glory.” 2 God expresses His glory through us, which is displayed through our happiness and contentment. Be an imitator of God. Let the glory of God shine through you, and you will draw the lost to God.

Are you seeking Christ? If you are, if that feeling of being lost or something missing in your life has become overwhelming, come to Him today. Not sure how? Reach out to us here at In Messiah Ministries, and we can show you the scriptures that tell of salvation through Christ alone. He is waiting.

Grace and Peace.

1. Jonathan Edwards, The End for Which God Created the World, 1765, Samuel Kneeland, Boston, Massachusetts, 35.

2. Ibid