Doing the right thing.

We know more and more in this secular world we live in that the right thing to do, a life of righteousness, is not always the most socially accepted.

Psalm 23 is very likely the most well known and quoted psalm of the Bible. Read and sung at many a wedding or funeral by believers and non believers alike. 

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Every verse is beautiful reminding us of God’s faithful love and care for us through the picture of a shepherd leading his flock. Sheep follow the shepherd in total trust, they don’t know the way ahead but he does. He’s prepared it for them knowing the pastures with the best grass and the tracks or pathways between them to move his flock around throughout the seasons in the safest way. Always putting their well being first. His livelihood and reputation depend on it. 

To those familiar with the Bible this is such a well known image that I hardly need to expand on it here. We have so much to learn in both the Old and New Testaments about shepherds and their flocks from Abraham to Jacob, Moses and David through to the wondrous night on the hills outside Bethlehem. 

Jesus knows we wander, just like the sheep. He knows we can be silly like sheep and easily distracted by the next bit of juicy grass (whatever that “grass” is in our lives). Isaiah 53:6 puts it very simply, “all we like sheep have gone astray”.

And so in verse 3 (Psalm 23) Jesus offers us paths of righteousness, right paths, the right thing to do whatever the situation. 

The dictionary tells us that Righteousness means adhering to moral standards, honesty, justice and uprightness. For Christians it means all of that and more. Faith in Jesus brings us into right standing with God, for His Name’s sake.

Put another way as in the verses of Psalm 145 our chief aim is to glorify God with our whole being which is just not possible if we are walking on the wrong paths. Our lives are our testimony. 

So what do these right paths look like in our everyday life?  We can start with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. (Galatians 5 v22)

We know more and more in this secular world we live in that the right thing to do, a life of righteousness, is not always the most socially accepted. But we must persevere, we will wander and stumble but if we truly know Jesus and we are saved He will bring us back on track by the help of His Holy Spirit to guide us and then we bear fruit for Him and give all the glory to Him. 

Proverbs 4:12 promises us that when we walk in these paths our steps will be unhampered and if we run we won’t stumble. 

They are paths to the light, giving us clarity out of the darkness of confusion, stress and wrong decisions. V18

P.S 

God means it when He says He wants to shepherd us towards good things in this life. This may seem trivial but I am often blown away with thankfulness by the small details of my life that He blesses…leading me to a bargain in the shops in my favourite colour or style, finding a car park space or changing plans for me when I’ve made myself too busy and then feel overwhelmed. He shows me how much He loves me and He knows my need even before I so much sigh a prayer. I can say too that I haven’t got to the age I am now without several testimonies of amazing life changing things He’s done for me (which may be the subject of another blog) but like those sheep who need to be kept well and safe, it is the day to day guidance through the routine of life that often is the most real and leads us onto the right paths. Then we must give all thanks and praise back to Him. 

 I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.  John 10 v 14

Author: Margaret Riordan

May God bless and enrich your life

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