3/1/2026
Turn with me to Proverbs 20:26-28. These are our verses to finish studying and memorizing.
Proverbs 20:26-28 A wise king winnows the wicked, And drives the threshing wheel over them. 27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. 28 Loyalty and truth preserve the king, And he upholds his throne by righteousness.
Introduction
Last time we began our study of this 3 verse chiasm. We saw that it followed the pattern of the earlier chiasm in verses 9-11. There the wickedness of all people was emphasized in the first and third verses around the central reminder of everyone’s accountability to God. Here that reality of wickedness is echoed, but then progress is made to examine how a nation should deal with it. We have the king’s judgment on wicked people for their evil behaviors alongside of his need to avoid evil himself. In the middle of that there is another reminder of everyone’s ultimate accountability to God.
In our first verse we see God’s main ordained method of dealing with the wickedness of scoffing mockers through the careful and thorough justice of the king (or government). That was vividly pictured in the comparisons to winnowing grain and then running a threshing wheel over it. In the second verse we saw God’s design of a conscience within people that shows them their ultimate accountability to Him. Now we come to the third verse. In it we will see what should guide the king in his winnowing the wicked and judging them. We will see what should guard the king from wrongly applying justice, from misusing his authority, and from other dangers that threaten him and the nation.
Have you ever wondered what our nation really needs in order to thrive and be protected from the many dangers that face it? All around us people constantly promote their solutions. We need bigger government, smaller government, libertarianism, conservatism, liberalism, communism, monarchy, anarchy, laws enforced with greater penalties, fewer laws, stronger immigration controls, more immigration, more religious influence, less religious influence, and the list goes on with competing ideologies. Here, in a concise proverb, God gives us what a nation truly needs. He details the guiding force that will truly protect a king, a nation, and our individual lives. Let’s take a closer look now at Proverbs 20:28 and learn from what He says.
28 Loyalty and truth preserve the king, And he upholds his throne by righteousness.
Faithful loving-kindness, guided by truth, is the essential element for protecting and strengthening a king.
This verse, in its two halves, repeats itself using somewhat different words. However, there is one key word that is repeated verbatim. One would not know it from the NASB, but the first and last words of that translation, loyalty and righteousness, are the exact same, rich, Hebrew word: “chesed.” Because of that exact repetition most other translations use the same word or phrase in both places. Perhaps the NASB is trying to emphasize a fuller range of meaning for this word “chesed.” That broad meaning can be readily seen in the diversity of translations of that word in different versions: “steadfast love,” “mercy,” “loyal love,” and simply “love.”
This idea of loving-kindness and truth is a somewhat common phrase (14x) in the Old Testament. The NET Bible note here points out that “loyal love” plus “truth” is a hendiadys for “faithful love.” 1 A hendiadys is a like a pair of paints. It has two legs that come together to make one new item when paired together. When two words are often paired together to have a deeper, fuller, or more specific meaning it is called a hendiadys. Here, this is someone whose love is trustworthy and faithful. They are righteous and true. If we thought the word for “chesed” was already a full, rich, meaningful word, adding on “truth” to it makes it even more so. This is an honest, unfailing, righteous love.
It is this kind of all encompassing loyal, faithful, merciful, loving-kindness—attached to, guided by, and walking in truth—which preserves, guards, and protects a king. This is the foundational trait that upholds a nation. It is the essential element which a king needs to have to rule well. It is the necessary safeguard and guidance that is to permeate all laws and how they are exercised.
When we understand how this phrase is used in the Old Testament what Solomon means here begins to unfold. What is primarily important to understand is that this character trait and behavior is used by God to describe Himself in how He relates to people. That is very instructive for how a king should live out these traits. Exodus 34:6-7 contains this phrase in God’s description of Himself.
Exodus 34:6-7 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
From this we see that God shows this faithful, merciful, loving-kindness from within His nature towards those who are in covenanted relationship with Him, while still also judging and dealing with sin. David echoes these same refrains in Psalm 25 when he asks for God’s merciful kindness.
Psalm 25:6-10 Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
This loving-kindness and truth, this faithful love, this mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, this goodness of God that teaches sinners is His way of dealing with His people that He redeems. Yet, for the wicked, for the unrepentant, for those who do not turn to Him for redemption and forgiveness there is still His judgment which does not “leave the guilty unpunished.” That then is how God exercises His loving-kindness and truth. His mercy does not ignore His holiness. Nor does His love blot out His justice. They are both fully there, working in perfect harmony. His redemptive work on the cross, at His own expense, fulfills both His justice and His love. Yet those who do not come in faith to Him for His salvation become the scoffing mockers whose wickedness must be removed and justly dealt with.
In relation to Israel’s kings, this loving-kindness and truth was specifically covenanted by God to be with king David and his royal line in their rule over Israel. We see this in 2 Samuel 7:12-16.
2 Samuel 7:12-16 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me;
when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’”
Thus, very explicitly in Israel’s situation, it was God’s covenanted loving-kindness that ultimately preserved the king. That same kind of faithful, loyal love was then also supposed to be the same kind of loving-kindness that was carried out by the Davidic kings in their rule over the people. By following God this way it would uphold their throne. When they failed, God’s discipline would come upon them in their disobedience. Even with that, God’s loving-kindness would remain and not be taken away forever. His judgment would be corrective and restorative, because the Davidic throne was to be established forever.
Psalm 89 gives us another helpful picture of God’s loving-kindness and truth. In verses 11-15 we see that righteousness and justice are the foundations for God’s throne. Loving-kindness and truth are hallmarks of His presence and rule.
Psalm 89:11-15 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name. 13 You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. 15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
In verses 19-37 we again specifically see the way God’s loving-kindness and truth would be with David like 2 Samuel 7 talked about.
Psalm 89:19-37 Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones, And said, “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 “I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him, 21 With whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him. 22 “The enemy will not deceive him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 “But I shall crush his adversaries before him, And strike those who hate him. 24 “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him, And in My name his horn will be exalted. 25 “I shall also set his hand on the sea And his right hand on the rivers. 26 “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ 27 “I also shall make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. 28 “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him. 29 “So I will establish his descendants forever And his throne as the days of heaven. 30 “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, 31 If they violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with stripes. 33 “But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. 34 “My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. 35 “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 “His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. 37 “It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah.
This loving-kindness did not mean God would forsake justice or truth. Rather, it meant He would discipline even within His loving-kindness. God would faithfully keep His covenant and His word. Historically, because of Israel’s wickedness, this discipline was so severe that at the point the Psalmist writes all this he then turns in a few verses to ask where God’s former loving-kindness is. God’s judgment, discipline, or absence from Israel seemed to be going on forever. Thus the Lord is asked to remember their reproach before the nations. The Psalmist ends with a call for the Lord to be blessed forever. He is not disrespectfully asking, or condemning God. Rather he is asking for God’s help and intervention in accordance with what He has promised. Notice the last verses of the Psalm.
Psalm 89:49-52 Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness? 50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants; How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples, 51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed. 52 Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.
In His loving-kindness, God did remember Israel. Judah was exiled to Babylon for 70 years, but then they were allowed to return to Israel. They were able to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. In God’s providence and in the ultimate expression of faithful loving-kindness Jesus came as the Davidic messiah. He then provided on the cross His very own life as a sacrifice to redeem sinful mankind. He paid our penalty in full Himself so that all those who place their faith in Him would be made righteous and reconciled to God. Jesus then rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, intercedes on our behalf with the Father and is preparing a place for us. One day, in the fullness of time, He will return. He will institute His judgment on the wicked, recreate this world, and reign worldwide as the Davidic king eternally. This then is how God has and will show His loving-kindness and truth.
Given this picture, we can now see the model and ideal that earthly kings are to follow in their reign over their kingdoms. This is what would cause them to thrive and flourish. This is what would guard, protect, and preserve them. In the case of the Davidic kings to whom Solomon was writing this proverb it was a covenanted promise of protection to them from God because of His loving-kindness and truth towards them. It was also their walking in this same pattern towards those they ruled over and to God which would personally uphold their thrones. If they did not walk in that faithful love towards God and those they ruled over, then God would discipline them with the rod and stripes. Thus, they needed to look to God for His loving-kindness and truth, and then model their reign after His. In doing this they could trust God to preserve them and uphold them.
Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see a very helpful example of this in the life of King Hezekiah. Many people know about God’s miraculous preservation of Hezekiah and Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria. Indeed, it was a spectacular event where God sent an angel and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers as they menaced Jerusalem! After that massacre the rest of the Assyrians packed up and went home. Then Sennacherib was killed by some of his own children in the temple of his false god.
What is much less talked about, though, are the details of Hezekiah’s life and reign before this. Hezekiah became king at the age of 25. You can tell a lot about a person and their heart by the first things they do when they have freedom, opportunity, and power. According to 2 Chronicles 29:3 and 17 on the very first day of the first month of his reign he opened the doors of the temple and repaired them. Starting right then he had the priests begin cleaning, consecrating, and preparing the temple for use again. Sixteen days later they told him it was completed. Early the very next morning he assembled the leaders and had the priests begin sacrificing to atone for all Israel (2 Chr 29:20-24). But that is not all, he did everything in the right and scriptural way. He even went so far as to find out how David and the prophets had commanded that the Levites were to play music, sing, and lead the people in worship (2 Chr 29:25-36). That then became the guidance for their daily worship once again.
Hezekiah did not stop there with that. Normally the Passover feast celebration was held on the 14th day of the first month. However, they were too late in their consecration of the temple to do that. Through a careful reading of Scripture and an application of the permission given in Numbers 9:10-11 they decided to carry it out in the second month on the 14th day. That passage made such an allowance for those who were unclean during the normal observance of Passover. Not only did he pursue doing what was right in the right way in his own kingdom, but he also sent messengers throughout the northern kingdom of Israel to invite all of them to come and worship at the God ordained feast (2 Chr 30:5-11). His pursuit of loving-kindness and truth led him to call all Israel to repentance and to a faithful worship of God. He did this regardless of whether they were loyal to him or not. He did it because it was the right thing to do.
While his couriers went throughout Judah and Israel spreading the news of the feast, Hezekiah and his people in Jerusalem were not idle. They removed and destroyed all the altars that were in Jerusalem which Hezekiah’s wicked father Ahaz had made to false gods (2 Chr 28:23-24, 30:12-14).
That was not all. After they had a huge celebration of the Passover, the people went out and destroyed all the pillars, high places, and altars in Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh (2 Chr. 31:1). Thus, at the very beginning of his reign, Hezekiah had the priests and Levites return to all the commanded sacrificial services and work. He did it according to what was written in the law of the Lord as 2 Chronicles 31:3 highlights. Then he followed that up by commanding the people in Jerusalem to bring in the tithe so that the Levites could whole-heartedly devote themselves to God’s law. The command spread and the Israelites in Judah brought in so much that it made great heaps beyond what was needed. It was so much that they had to renovate rooms in the temple to find a place to store it all! (2 Chr 31:2-19)
The summation of all that Hezekiah did there is given in 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.
Truly, Hezekiah reigned in loving-kindness and truth. He sought out God in all that he did.
It is after all of those “acts of faithfulness”, that 2 Chronicles 32:1 says that “Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah.” In this dire emergency Hezekiah continued doing what he had done all along. He sought the Lord. He encouraged the people to be strong and courageous because the one with them (God) was greater than the one with Sennacherib (2 Chr 32:7-8). When Hezekiah heard the report of Sennacherib’s emissaries right outside the gate of Jerusalem mocking God and declaring resistance futile, he took those reports to the prophet Isaiah. Together they prayed and cried out to God for help.
It is then at this point that God miraculously intervened. An angel destroyed Assyria’s commanders and mighty men, and sent them all back to their homeland in disgrace (2 Chr 32:21).
Truly indeed, loving-kindness and truth preserved king Hezekiah. His throne was upheld by loving-kindness. Hezekiah started out his reign repentant for the wickedness of his father and Judah. He personally and publicly turned to God as His God. He cast Himself on God’s loving-kindness. That resulted in him living out loving-kindness and truth in his rule over the people. He called the rest of his nation and even the northern tribes of Israel to repentance and obedience. He pursued doing everything according to God’s standards. He walked in obedience to God’s law. Very interestingly, 2 Chronicles 31:21 makes a specific note to say that what he did in “seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.” Yes, he made some mistakes later on and became proud when God left him alone to be tested. But, he also humbled himself after that and God preserved the nation (2 Chr 32:24-26, 31-32).
God sees our heart. He is calling us to walk in loving-kindness and truth. He is calling our leaders to walk in loving-kindness and truth. That is what will truly guard and protect a king, a nation, or an individual.
Yes, just like in Hezekiah’s time evil often does flourish for a season. Yes, the godly are often persecuted. Yes, the godly do suffer and die. Nonetheless, “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31, KJV. Cf. also Heb 13:6) Nothing can thwart God’s good and perfect plan. Nothing. Even when God does let us physically die, like He did with Jesus, out of it comes a glory and inheritance beyond imagining.
What then is that suffering in light of the glory that awaits? Nothing. It is but a temporary tribulation with a wondrous outcome. As Paul also said in Romans 8:18:
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Think about it. Jesus died, but every knee will one day bow to Him. (Phil 2:9-11) Every tongue will confess Him Lord. What a glorious outcome He has received! We will of course not be praised and exalted in that way, but we will also amazingly share in Jesus’ eternal inheritance. As Ephesians 2:6-7 says, we will be “raised…up with Him, and seated…with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” God’s faithful loving-kindness will be shown to us eternally (cf. also Romans 8).
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture we see this loving-kindness that the king should live by in ruling his people reiterated in Psalm 72. The word “chesed” is not used in this Psalm, but it is a Psalm from Solomon that describes well the details of what that kind of loving-kindness and truth would look like in a king’s rule over his people.
Psalm 72:1-19 A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s son. 2 May he judge Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice. 3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness. 4 May he vindicate the afflicted of the people, Save the children of the needy And crush the oppressor. 5 Let them fear You while the sun endures, And as long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, Like showers that water the earth. 7 In his days may the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace till the moon is no more. 8 May he also rule from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, And his enemies lick the dust. 10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. 11 And let all kings bow down before him, All nations serve him. 12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help, The afflicted also, and him who has no helper. 13 He will have compassion on the poor and needy, And the lives of the needy he will save. 14 He will rescue their life from oppression and violence, And their blood will be precious in his sight; 15 So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; And let them pray for him continually; Let them bless him all day long. 16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains; Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon; And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth. 17 May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed. 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
That is the way things ought to be. This Psalm is a prayer for God to give these kinds of judgments and behaviors to an earthly king. This is what earthly kings, nations, and individuals should pursue. Ultimately the fulfillment of all this will be perfectly found in the messianic king, Jesus. His name will endure forever, and He will perfectly carry this all out in His millennial and eternal rule. He will judge with righteousness and give the afflicted justice. Under Him the nation will flourish and there will be peace until the moon is no more. To Him all of the kings will bow. All of the nations will serve Him. Jesus is the perfect embodiment of loving-kindness, of merciful, faithful, covenant loyalty, and of truth.
Isaiah 16:4b-5 pictures this coming time. It talks about Jesus’ throne being established in this “chesed.”
Isaiah 16:4b-5 …For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased, Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land. 5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice And be prompt in righteousness.
Loving-kindness and truth will indeed preserve the king, and his throne will be upheld by loving-kindness. Jesus will perfectly fulfill all this. In the meantime, may earthly kings pursue this kind of rule and relationship with God, like Hezekiah did. That is what will uphold their reign and authority.
When we come back to Proverbs, we see that this faithful loving-kindness way of life is what we all individually should be looking to and holding onto. In Proverbs 3:3, it was this exact same loving-kindness and truth which we were all foundationally instructed to never let leave us. It is what would bring favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. Thus, this is a promise not just to kings, but to us. It will uphold our lives. It will guard and protect us, individually.
Proverbs 3:3-7 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 16:6 adds to the importance of this kind of faithful loving-kindness. Here we see that it is actually by this kind of behavior that sin is left behind. As we by faith personally know God’s merciful loving-kindness and redemption ourselves we will then begin living it out in our lives. This is how we are sanctified and made holy.
Proverbs 16:6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.
We all desperately need God’s loving-kindness and to have it worked out in our lives. In Proverbs 19:22 we were point blank told that this is really the character trait and behavior that is desirable in a person.
Proverbs 19:22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
This is what we all want in someone else. We want someone who is faithful, merciful, and compassionate who shows their loving-kindness in their actions. But there is only one place that we can get this. Jesus.
Proverbs 20:6 warns us how rare it is to actually possess this loving-kindness.
Proverbs 20:6 Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man?
On our own with our sin natures we do not have this kind of loving-kindness and we cannot manufacture it. We have to go to God for His loving-kindness towards us in Jesus so that we can be transformed to be able to show it towards others. Do you have this loving-kindness? Are you holding onto it? Showing it?
Loving-kindness is important for us all to have on the individual level, but is even more impactful in rulers because of their authority and power. Given this reality, when the reliability, trustworthiness, and loyalty that is so rare to find is found in the king it is a protection, blessing, and help to the whole nation. He is a shield that goes before them. This helps the whole nation thrive and prosper.
Truth in Connection: As we connect all this to our lives, the essential element for having a thriving nation is that it be guided by this faithful loving-kindness. That is even more foundational than what kind of government it has. Being faithful to God and His standard of righteousness will guide what laws are made and how they are carried out. Having the right kind of merciful compassion to both the victim and the criminal will prevent injustice from occurring to either one because of a loyalty to righteousness and truth. When this chesed, guided by truth, is the guiding principle it affects everything else in a positive way.
The fiercely loyal, utterly truthful, graciously merciful, loving kindness of Jesus towards His people is what a king’s leadership within his nation is to be modeled upon. Pursuing and carrying out that kind of loyal love is what preserves and protects a nation or king.
It is also what should protect, guide, and preserve a church. It is also what should protect, guide, and preserve a family and an individual. All leadership should be based upon it. Anything else is fatally flawed and the cracks will eventually appear.
Without truth the loyalty will become misplaced. It will end up elevating an evil-doer or overlooking his sinful behavior. This will be destructive, whether it is in a criminal that needs to receive justice, or in a leader who has strayed from what is right. On the other side, without loyal loving kindness, truth will simply become a fact. It will not be acted upon. There will be no sacrifice, service, or effort extended to rescue the endangered, protect the weak, pursue justice, or do what is needful for others.
Jesus fully embodies both. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He is also love incarnate (1 John 4:8-10). He both recognized the reality of our sinful state under the deserved wrath and judgment of God as well as added on humanity to His existence to make the one and only way that we could be redeemed, rescued, reconciled, and receive eternal life.
Have you received this forgiveness and life in Jesus? Do you know His amazing, undeserved chesed to you personally? Have you seen and received His merciful, compassionate, loving-kindness through what He did on the cross with His death, burial, and resurrection? There is no other love that even comes close to that kind of love. He died for us and took upon Himself the full punishment for all of our sin—past, present, and future—so that we could be forgiven, declared righteous, and adopted as children of God. There is only way to receive this love. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” as Acts 16:31b says (KJV). Turn from trusting in and holding onto your sin. Repent. Turn to Jesus alone.
As we do this, we then have the love of Christ given to us. We are made a new creation in Christ. His river of living water can flow through us. By the enablement of the Holy Spirit living within us we too can love with this loyal, merciful, compassionate, faithful, loving-kindness. He transforms our lives. With that, we love others as we want others to love us. We love God with all our heart, soul, mind and body. We love our neighbor as ourselves. We walk in righteousness towards others because that is the loving and right thing to do. We want to know and walk according to the truth of God’s Word because true love does not believe and live out a lie.
As we do this in all areas of our lives then we, our families, our churches, our discipleship and evangelism outreaches, our businesses, and our governments will thrive and be protected. They will be what God designed them to be. Injustices will be dealt with. Righteousness will be exalted. Cheating, lying, stealing, abuse, and immorality will be seen for what they are—evil, destructive wickedness. We will, by God’s love and truth to us, turn away from carrying out those behaviors against others. Likewise, we will righteously and fully deal with those behaviors as they arise.
In this life, we will never perfectly reach this state in all aspects of our lives, families, government, and world. Only Jesus in His transformation of our hearts can do this. Only Jesus will be able to fully institute this when He judges the world and brings in His physical reign. Nonetheless, this is the truth about what will truly enable a nation, king, family or individual to truly flourish and thrive. Likewise, it is what God calls us as His people to be like. If we are truly Christians then we know His loyal, compassionate, merciful, undeserved loving-kindness towards us. We also have His Holy Spirit and the truth of His Word. Sharing this loving-kindness is what He calls us each to do in all areas of our lives. In our work, in our recreation, in our studies, in our church, in our family and everywhere else we are to be ambassadors of reconciliation like Jesus was to us. We are to point to His loving-kindness by our loving-kindness in both our words and actions.
Do you know Jesus’ loving-kindness to you personally? If you do not. Turn to Him. Trust Him. Get to know Him through the truth of His Word.
If you do know His loving-kindness, are you growing in submitting to and following Him in showing that loving-kindness towards others? Are you sharing the gospel? Are you using your money, time, and energy to love and serve? Is there an area of your life that you need to surrender to Him?
Conclusion
If you have any questions on any of this or want help in coming to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior please come talk with us. We are available. Let’s pray.
© 2026, Kevin A. Dodge, All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
1 Proverbs 20:28, NET Bible note TN88.
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