When I was a boy, my father told me many things. One was that only what you do for God will last. Everything else is just dust. I was reminded of that every time I heard the Kansas song. So what can we do for God? We can try to make a positive difference, we can try to live our lives in such a way that we become pointers to God, to the righteous way of living.

Righteous living is not to be confused with being "Self Righteous". Not at all. Righteous living comes to us through our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that relationship gives us the ability to become salt and light. The world yearns and needs folks who are working to make a positive difference, to show love, and kindness, which is so much more than just good deeds.

Our attitude towards others, our tone, our words, our thoughts, and our horizontal relationships, are billboards that show our relationship with God himself.

I am reminded of the story of the Prodigal Son. This was a parable told by Jesus to his disciples and followers to illustrate the act of confession, repenting, forgiveness, and self-righteousness. Remember the reaction of the older brother when he discovered how his father was celebrating the return and salvation of his lost son?

Luke Chapter 15:

25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

31 “‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

The older son never left his Dad, but he turned up his nose and swelled up his chest when his brother came home. His self-righteousness kept him from realizing that he was lost, right where he lived, that his soul was just as dead as his lost brother’s. Just in case you don’t realize it, the older brother represented the “church” of Jesus’ time, the Pharisees. Does he represent the church now?

We can make a good difference in this world starting with the very place we live. We need to know where we stand with God, and what works and doesn't work, what points to the nature of God when our goal is to make a positive difference in this world. Our goal for others as it is for ourselves is to be closer to Him. We can help heal fear and replace it with God's perfect love. We who know God's perfect plan for this world should live our lives in such a way that His power, His love, and His desire to bring everyone to Himself are revealed through us.

Proverbs 10:15-32

English Standard Version

15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

16 The wage of the righteous leads to life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.

23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,

but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,

but the righteous is established forever.

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be short.

28 The hope of the righteous brings joy,

but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,

but destruction to evildoers.

30 The righteous will never be removed,

but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.