What Are You Pursuing? (Proverbs 21:21)
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Proverbs 21:21
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Let’s talk about pursuit.
Think about the last time you chased after something – maybe a dream, a goal, a job, or even just your dog running full speed down the street. That feeling of pursuit, of movement, of chasing after something – it’s an active, intentional effort.
And that’s the picture Proverbs gives us today. Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness – not just stumbles into them, but actively goes after them – finds life, righteousness, and honor.
This idea of pursuing and following after is everywhere in Scripture. Jesus calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him. Paul says he presses on or follows after the Lord to make the resurrection his own. Over and over, we’re reminded – faith isn’t passive. It’s a pursuit.
And that’s what Proverbs 21:21 is showing us.
What we pursue and follow after shapes what we find.
If we follow after success, we might find exhaustion. If we follow after pleasure, we might find emptiness. But if we follow after Jesus? The righteousness from God? We find life.
Now, of course – God pursued us first. He made the first move. He chased us down with His love. But love isn’t just about being pursued – it’s about pursuing back. Jesus followed after you so you could follow after Him. He pursued you so you might pursue Him. And that’s the beauty of following Jesus. We get to chase after Him, knowing that the reward isn’t just something – it’s someone.
And here’s another incredible part from this verse today. We don’t just find life. We don’t just find righteousness. We find honor.
Jesus Himself said in John 12:26:
"If anyone serves me, he must follow (there’s that word again) me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
That’s a promise. Following after Jesus isn’t about duty; it’s not a daily task to be completed. It’s a delight – it leads to life. It leads to deep fellowship with God and His righteousness. And it leads to honor that comes from Him, not the world.
So here’s the question I want to pose today – what are you pursuing?
Reflect on that:
What am I following after?
What causes me to follow after things other than Jesus?
What would following after Him look like today? Not just in a spiritual way, but in every interaction, every conversation, etc.
If we’re honest, our hearts pursue so many things. But the invitation today from Proverbs 21:21 is simple – pursue Jesus, and in Him, find everything you truly need.
Let’s pray.
