I’ve got three questions for you …

What makes someone fall down? It could be a loss of balance, a lack of concentration, a forceful blow, a snare that trips us, a slippery landscape, devastating news, striking failure, or a big dose of discouragement or pity.

What makes someone get up? It could be simply self-discipline. It could be breaking out a big game memory or developing a strong “next play” mentality. It could be a nightmare, an emergency, or a sudden sense of urgency. 

It could be hearing stirring music or watching a rousing performance. Getting the signal to bust out of the locker room and go compete usually works. Or maybe it’s just an alarm clock. 

What makes someone get up after repeated falls? It could be the will to win, to compete like crazy. It could be a belief in resilience, that good things happen when you rise. It could be a spoken word, the encouraging voice of another, challenging one to rise.

That’s where Proverbs 24:16 weighs in. It gives us one more valuable thing to consider. It declares that righteous ones get up better. There’s no stopping them. They keep getting up for two reasons.

First, they get up better because of their commitment to right living before God, and others find ways to lift them. Righteous living stockpiles encouragement that shows up when needed. 

It’s a law of the universe. Doing good pays off. Righteousness produces dividends. It lifts the weight of living and assuages the pain that falling inevitably brings. Righteous living straightens people up and gets them back up on a good path.

They also get up better because they are MADE righteous by a Righteous One, Jesus. Here’s what happens when He shows up and gets to work on us … Guilt gets gone. Shame takes a hike. Lighthearted living moves in and hope fills the heart. 

Having Him inside gets us up. Considering Him inspires (Hebrews 12:1-3). He knows how to lift because He went down and got up. And He brings that power to us.

Reflect: How easy is it for you to get up after a fall? Who and what gets you up? Do you see the connection between righteous living and resilient living? Might you memorize Proverbs 24:16, Hebrews 12:2 or 3?

A prayer to consider: LORD, I want an unweighted life that keeps getting up. I don’t want to fear falling down and staying down. I want to live a resilient life like Your Son. 

Thank You for offering a “made righteous” option in life through Him. I rest in what you have provided and are providing in Christ. Help me to keep getting up by the power of Your Spirit and offering lift to others too. Grant me this for Your glory and my joy in You. Amen.