Align Your Perspective

Align your perspective with God’s. God has a plan to bring justice and righteousness to the world as each heart aligns with His.

“I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you…caused my people Israel to sin…So I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house…Zimri, one of his officials…plotted against him. Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel…But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him…Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel…Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins…but he also married Jezebel…began to serve Baal and worship him. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.”1 Kings 16:1-34

If you think the current political system has corruption, consider the evil that occurred in ancient times. One king after another did evil in the eyes of the Lord and caused others to sin. It was like a continuous, slow descent into greater sin, with each one worse than the one before them. This is what can happen when culture removes faith from the center of decision-making.Why were the rulers so wicked? Why did they continue to do evil? It is not like God disappeared and was not available to guide them. What we see are people who refused to listen to the Lord and obey His commandments because they wanted things their way.Looking back with a historical lens, we can identify where they went wrong. The question today is if we can use what we see that ruined their lives to save our own. Are you open to correction or the Lord’s rebuke? Where is God calling you to course correct?

“Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands then let my enemy pursue and overtake me…Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure, you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts. My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge…Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them…I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” Psalms 7:1-17

David had an interesting approach to difficulty. He did not always pray, God deliver me. He prayed, God, deliver me from anything that comes from man, but do not deliver me if this is a consequence of my sin that you are sending. David had a heart that was open to God’s rebuke. He invited correction and discipline because he knew the Lord disciplines the one He loves.Ask yourself how David ended up singing praises and giving thanks during a time of difficult circumstances while he was under attack. How was he able to get to a place of peace and praise? The song shows us that David trusted God to do what is right on his behalf because God is always faithful.David was not worried about the outcome. He did not allow fear to take over his heart. Rather, he remained faithful and waited for God to deliver him. David had clearly learned that people who do evil may prosper in the short term, but you always reap what you sow. He knew the time would come when they reaped the consequences of their choices. How could letting go of whatever troubles you have help you turn your worries into worship?

“The proverbs of Solomon…for receiving instruction…doing what is right and just and fair; let the wise listen and add to their learning…The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us…let’s ambush some harmless soul; we will get all sorts of valuable things…they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square…Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings…they will eat the fruit of their ways…but whoever listens to me will live in safety.” Proverbs 1:1-33

Solomon spent time sharing the wisdom that he had gained from God. The very first thing he said is that life is about learning who God is and who you are to Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Solomon said to consider all that you do in light of who He is and how your life fits within God’s righteous plan.Wisdom tells us to bow our knees and humble our hearts, for God is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. Wisdom tells us that God sees and knows all, and this should change how we decide to live. Wisdom tells us not to listen to people who plot evil or pursue ill-gotten gains. The wise person repents and changes the way they think.If Jesus appeared to you today and said repent, what area of your life would He be speaking to? Where do you need to change your thinking to align with God’s thinking? The wise person considers whether their actions please God or upset Him. The evil kings lived to get power and gain wealth. God says live to glorify my name by doing what is right and just. The question is not if any of us need to change, but how. Where do we need correction and instruction? Where do we need repentance?

“This is what the Lord says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the one who does this—the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil…foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:1-7

What does it mean to you to maintain justice and do what is right? When you look at your to-do list for today, where does maintaining justice and doing what is right fit within your priorities? God said it should be at the top. Is it? How is your life impacting others who need help? Justice and righteousness are not supplemental aspects of following Jesus; they are the center. Think of Matthew 25 where he specifically says what you do for the least of this world you do for me. The fear of the Lord tells us that life is not about us getting more stuff, but how the love of God flows through us to bring salvation to others. God makes clear that all people can bring justice and righteousness by pointing out that all people have the power to pray and please God. How would you describe your prayer life to others? What are your patterns of prayer?

A prayer model that has been particularly helpful for me is ACTS prayer. A—Adoring God, C—Confessing sin, T—Thanking God for His blessings, and S—Supplication, or interceding for others. Do you believe that your prayers have power?

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered…Man shall not live on bread alone.’” The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor…If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered…Worship the Lord your God and serve him only….Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit…on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue…The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed …to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing…At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place…I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:1-44

Jesus showed us what a righteous King looks like. Where earthly kings pursued power, wealth, and their own desires, Jesus humbled Himself, avoided the evil temptations of Satan, and had a righteous heart devoted to bringing God glory. He lived what wisdom taught in Proverbs, trusted like David in Psalms, and modeled the kingdom call in Isaiah. He turned from every temptation and took time to pray every chance He could. He did not simply tell us to repent; He showed us what a surrendered life looks like.The contrast throughout these passages leaves each of us with a decision. Will we follow the pattern of the kings who drifted further from God one compromise at a time, or will we walk the path of David, who welcomed God’s correction and praised Him before the answer to his prayers came? Where is God inviting you to repent, to change your perspective, or to realign your priorities with His? The beginning of wisdom is not knowing more but surrendering more.

The good news is, God is not looking for perfect people but for faithful hearts that are willing to listen, pray, and obey. Will you pursue justice and practice righteousness even if it is neither popular nor profitable? Will you pray about everything with thanksgiving? Will you place God’s priorities above your plans? Like David, you can praise before the victory is visible because you know the character of the One who fights for you. Like Jesus, let your life be centered on the Father’s purpose, proclaiming His kingdom in both word and deed. Open your ears, surrender your heart, and you will discover that the safest, wisest, and best place to be is in His presence, where you can hear His perspective.