Shepherded: Psalm 23 for the Single ChristianSample

# Jesus Takes The Lead Part of being shepherded by Jesus, the good and perfect shepherd, is that we allow Him to guide us in paths of righteousness. What does it look like to live righteously as a single Christian? Often, teachings on holiness and righteousness in dating and relationships tend toward legalism, focusing on dos and don’ts. Of course, following Jesus does and should shape our behavior, but righteousness is not primarily about behavior. In fact, according to this verse, righteousness seems to be more about following the leadership of Jesus. There is a journey with God that all believers walk called sanctification. Sanctification is really just a fancy word for the process of God making you more and more like Jesus (Romans 8:28-30). God already sees you as righteous because of what Jesus has done (2 Corinthians 5:21), but through sanctification your actions and attitudes and behaviors actually begin to align with who God already says you are – righteous. This definitely does not happen overnight. In fact the words “paths of righteousness” echo the idea that it truly is a journey – it is step-by-step. Choice-by-choice. But you don’t walk this path on your own. The Lord is faithful to LEAD you down His path. He often guides us in the way we should go (and away from the wrong path) through His conviction. Conviction is when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart that something you are doing or believing does not align with who He has designed you to be. Elsewhere in Psalms, we see the example of David asking God to convict him of his wrongdoings and show him the right way (Psalm 139:23-24). Being led by God in paths of righteousness means inviting and responding to conviction. Is this part of your regular practice? Are you inviting the searching gaze of God to reveal the things in your heart and life that are contrary to His will for you? There will always be good fruit growing in your life (and in any future relationships) if this is the position of your heart. If this hasn’t been a regular part of your spiritual practice lately, take a few moments today to invite God to know your heart and show you what doesn’t align with Him. Ask Him to lead you in paths of righteousness and show you the way.