Uprightness

“All of these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.” 1 Chron. 12:38.

“Of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men [arrayed for battle with hearts in which there was no guile (Norw.)] who could keep ranks.” 1 Chron. 12:33. People like this have a future. That army experienced that the God of heaven stood behind David.

Some people smile, but their friendliness and love are not genuine. If it is not genuine, it is not the virtues of Christ—then there is guile. God never tolerates guile or disloyalty. Disloyal people seek their own, and they have no future in the kingdom of God. God has no regard for people who are not upright. If you have let guile into your heart, you must repent with all of your heart. God will never accept a person who is not upright.

“For look! The wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.” Ps. 11:2. Anyone who shoots at the upright is in contact with the powers of darkness. Yet, in spite of them, the church has remained standing behind the wall of salvation. How can we protect ourselves from these arrows shot from the darkness? The answer is: We meet them with the shield of faith. These attacks are like fertilizer on our life with God. The church grows and flourishes in circumstances like these.

David writes a lot about uprightness, and Jesus sits on David’s throne. “The upright—those who are gracious, merci­ful, and righteous.” Ps. 112:4 (Norw.). Not all leaders fit that description—neither will they remain standing as time passes. The sure mercies of David come over the upright.

“Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.” Ps. 111:1. No guile or lack of uprightness can be tolerated. “If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful habitation. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.” Job 8:5-7.

“For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 2:20-21. In spite of doing so many things for people, they were seeking their own. When they didn’t get the honor they thought they were entitled to as Paul’s travel­ing companions, they became upset. They came out of rest because they were seeking honor—they wanted to hear their name mentioned; they wanted to be noticed. Uprightness and simple faithfulness go hand in hand. What is simplicity? It is that you fear God for His own sake, without thinking about what He can give you. Lot was rich, but not as rich as Abraham, and that bothered him. Therefore he looked out over the plains of Sodom and chose what he thought would give him the greatest earthly wealth. After Lot had gone, God opened Abraham’s eyes to a far greater glory. Abraham served God and God alone.

If you know what is best for the church and yet you con­sider how it will affect you and your reputation, you are not upright. If you serve God for His own sake, you have power and you are free. Your thoughts don’t revolve around your ministry, but you seek God’s Word so you can come closer to what God has for you. You are aware of your own poverty, and your soul cries out for God, even as a deer pants for wa­ter. Most people would have become exalted in their own eyes if they had killed Goliath. But David didn’t. He served God and offered his life. He was a man according to God’s own heart. A well-spring of grace is required before God can say something like that about a person—and there was a well­spring of humility in David.

When our ministry succeeds, we must never allow thoughts about ourselves and our own reputation into our heart. Thoughts like that must never be tolerated! You cannot allow them if you are upright. If you give in to thoughts like that, you will not keep your heart right before God.

“For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.” Job 8:9. We must hold to the Word of God in all simplicity. Then we will experience that God is our strong fortress. It is true that we were born yesterday and know nothing. Therefore we need a connection with the One who searches the hearts and minds, for He reveals Himself to the upright.