Righteousness is rewarded.

Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way.

Knowing there would be times when it appeared the wicked were coming out winners, the psalmist wrote: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2).

Things are seldom what they seem. Outward success is meaningless unless the heart is right. Sin detracts from delight. The so-called “beautiful people” are often among the worlds most unhappy.

Only the righteous can truly rejoice.

But it is sad when the righteous do not rejoice. Those who have every reason to be glad sometimes spend their days groaning about trivial matters. Equipped for daily victory they are continually defeated. Having become citizens of heaven they live like hopeless earthlings. Though heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, they have allowed themselves to take on the mental attitudes of spiritual paupers. They are more often found pouting than praising, fault-finding is their specialty and nothing escapes their criticism. They are part of the body of Christ and have great potential for service, but they spend their time murmuring and complaining instead of rejoicing and reaching out to the lost.

Let the righteous rejoice! This is the will of God for each one of His children.