Great Pursuits: Chasing What Matters Most in LifeSample

Pursue Righteousness

Trees have both roots and fruit. The fruit that is produced upward is the result of the roots that go downward. Both the roots and the fruit are part of the same tree. So it is with righteousness.

The root of righteousness is what you receive as a gift at salvation. When you were saved, you were made righteous before God. It is not the result of your good works nor is it the result of spiritual maturity or growth. You do not increase or grow in your righteousness – as you have been given the very righteousness of Christ Himself.



The Scriptures also speak of the “fruit” aspect of righteousness. That is where it is lived out. When Paul exhorts Timothy to “pursue righteousness” in 1 Timothy 6:11, he’s referencing the quality of character that has a right relationship with God as its foundation. 

To paraphrase it we could say, “In all your dealings with people pursue uprightness, fairness, and honesty.” It is set in stark contrast with those who will bend the rules and violate their conscience as they greedily pursue gain. Pursuing uprightness and honesty not only honors God, it is also a way to let your light shine for Christ.

Notably, however, pursuing righteousness is not just about the big things or the public things in life that clearly put Christ on display. It’s also about the little things that no one else sees, because the truth is, you can’t compartmentalize your character. If you lack integrity in one area of your life, you simply lack integrity, and as much as you might try to keep certain areas of your life separate, what happens in one always bleeds into the next.

When you pursue and practice righteousness, God will always see to it that it will eventually come back to you. Proverbs 11:18 declares, “The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.” Likewise, Hosea 10:12 states: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you” (NIV 1984). If you sow righteousness – uprightness, fairness, and honesty – God will see to it that the same is showered upon you at the proper time (see also Galatians 6:7).

Action Step

You may have heard the statement, “Live for an audience of One.” For Christians it means to fix your eyes on Jesus and live for His glory and purposes  – to seek first the kingdom of God. So in all matters today, ask yourself whether or not your choices and actions merit God’s approval, not man’s.