Proverbs 11:27-28

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it. ²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

NBA All-Star

Have you watched the NBA All-Star game? Many basketball players may wish to be selected as All-Star. The term “All-Star” classifies players as the best in the game. And truly, All-Star players have greater abilities than other players; and, to be selected as All-Star should highlights their legacy as greater player of the game. To be selected as All-Star should be affirmation to their greatness.

Interestingly, during the NBA All-Star game, the All-Star players were very cautious, and most of them had played without much effort exerted. The manner they performed in the All-Star game is hardly considered great effort. One player did his very best to score at any given possession, and he made the most scores among all participants. However, his team lost the game, and the award for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) went to the best player in the winning team.

Still, not all basketball fans appreciated who won the MVP. They had other choice of who should win the award. Of course, it is not opinion of majority that decides; panel of judges were appointed to choose who should be awarded.

Together, let us seriously meditate on what Christ said in Matthew 16:27.

          ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

When Jesus Christ returns, he presents reward to everyone who deserves the honor. Jesus Christ is the Truth; he rewards according to righteous judgment, and he knows exactly who deserves to be rewarded. He does not need opinions of anyone. The Scripture declares about Jesus Christ in John 2:25, ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

God knows that human ability is limited. Human effort is never enough to qualify us for eternal dwelling in his perfect heaven. Yet, Christ offers eternal life to everyone. How can we enter heaven? By faith, we believe that Christ died on the cross as penalty of our sins. You may wish to ponder upon this statement:

“If Christ wants us to eternally live with him, it follows that he desires the best life we can ever experience! If Christ wants the best for us, can we trust that he also wants the best situation we can explore while we navigate this world?”

Christ mandated that we testify of his transformational work in our life. We should rely upon him in everything we do and do our best effort to find his favor.

1.  Find

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.

The term “seek” is properly interpreted as “diligent search for goodness.”

Goodness includes pleasant, valuable, and beneficial welfare. Good is favorable. Right? Whoever finds favor from the Lord will certainly be blessed in many ways. We expect favor from God when we do what is good and right in his eyes.

Doing what is good and right testifies to the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. Human nature is sinful. Human inclination is to follow what is evil in the sight of God. Human instinct is not completely pleasant to God. Human tendency is to resist and oppose him. Human initiatives cannot reach the righteousness of God.

Reflect on what it declares in Ecclesiastes 7:20, ²⁰Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

So, if human initiative is not righteous in the eyes of God, we cannot find his favor on our own effort. Naturally, we may still have life that humans consider as good but not necessarily the best life that God had designed for anyone. Seemingly, the rich people have ideal life, yet not all of them are satisfied in life.

Imagine this for a while. The rich people are privileged to have abundant wealth. You may have observed celebrities who flaunt, exhibit or display material abundance. Paparazzi or media people document the lifestyle of the rich and powerful people. But why do the rich powerful people surround themselves with bodyguards? Why can they not protect themselves, if they really are powerful?

Anyway, the rich, popular and powerful could be scared of their safety. Bad elements of the society may scheme and conspire to harm or steal their wealth; maybe even thieves may disguise themselves as relatives. “Rela-thieves?”

What can they do? They surround themselves with trusted security guards. We can learn from King David, how he surrounded himself with guards he had trusted. It declares in 2 Samuel 8:15-18, ¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.

Joab the commander of the Israelite army was a nephew of King David. The Kerethite and the Pelethites were special guards of King David. They were elite groups of mercenaries; they were not Israelites by blood, and Benaiah was their commander. King David trusted Benaiah as commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites; they secured the safety of King David and his family.

It requires wisdom to choose special bodyguards who could perform to the best of their ability. Did God give King David wisdom to choose special guards to secure him? Did God cause him to trust the Kerethites and the Pelethites?

Or did King David think that those who trust in their riches will fall?

2.  Fall

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

The term “fall” is can be interpreted as dropped from elevated altitude, collapse of superiority or downfall of dominant status. Anyone could be removed from power. King David understood it very well when he defeated his enemies who depended on their superior armament and advance military expertise.

Let’s reflect on what King David declared in Psalm 20:7, ⁷Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

King Hezekiah

During the time when Hezekiah was king of Judah, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his ancestor King David had done. When the king of Assyria sent his commander to Jerusalem, he tried to terrify the people in order to capture the city of Jerusalem. King Hezekiah may have been scared also.

It narrated in 2 Chronicles 32:20-23, ²⁰ King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. ²¹ And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword. ²² So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. ²³ Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

Truly, unexpected situations may terrify us. The on-going war somewhere may possibly confuse us. Our government needs wisdom to handle international affairs carefully. Who can help us with domestic problems, family or personal?

The Scripture declares that those who trust in their wealth will fall. Prophet Isaiah and King Hezekiah prayed, and the Lord saved the Israelites from their enemies. Likewise, if we trusted that the Lord gave us freedom from the penalty of sin and from the power and influence of sin, we can trust him that he designed it for us to thrive and be fruitful. We just heed his righteous instructions.

Psalm 1:1-3 declares, ¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

To meditate with delight in the law of the Lord practically shows that his Holy Spirit is active n our life. Seriously seek the favor of God through obedience of his instruction. The Lord had designed it that obedience to him is favorable way to receive his blessings and rewards he prepared in advance.

Pray for increase of faith and godly wisdom to obey him practically.

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