In an age with an increased focus on the
costs of healthcare, our verse might sound like a solution. But we are a pill
culture. If you go to the doctor, they will give you a pill as the solution. So
if we could put the LORD in a pill, our society might take it!
As we read verse 27, we must remember that
this is a general principle, not an absolute rule. Some wicked people live long
lives. Some righteous people die young. But as a general rule, following the
LORD will lengthen our lives. Studies have shown this. And it makes sense. If
we don’t abuse alcohol, chances are we will die younger. If we have areas
lacking discipline, it does shorten our life.
I have found that people who love the LORD
are happier. Guess what, studies have shown the same thing! The outcome of
obedience is joy. When we do what we know we should do, the inner conflicts
subside. Contentment takes over. The struggle and strife resolve. And obedience
is a healthy choice.
But the wicked don’t have this. I am sure
you know some people who seem to get increasingly bitter as they get older. The
older they get, the more people want to avoid being with them. Like the movie Grumpy Old Men, even the grumpiest can
have moments of likeability. We often excuse their grumpiness, putting up with
the rough edges and rotten core.
I don’t mind that people think I use God as
a crutch. I am a cripple! My moral compass is broken. My ability to stay
upright is set on “fall” mode. But thanks be to God who leads me in triumph!
Because of what He has done, I now have the ability to choose to do the right
thing with the right motive at the right time. I can be obedient.
The wicked are not so fortunate. They are
stuck on “fall” mode. They may occasionally stumble on a correct outcome, but
their motive isn’t the glory of God. In fact, if they knew they would bring
glory to God by the choice, many of them would choose some other alternative
out of rebellion.