Proverbs 11:5-6

5The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
-Proverbs 11:5-6

You reap the consequences of your lifestyle. I do find it interesting that those who strive to walk in righteousness find that their righteous decisions make it easier to make more righteous decisions. Walking right leads to right walking. However, those who have developed a lifestyle of wickedness find wickedness easy to walk into. Respectively, the actions lead to suitable consequences.

Let's break this down into easy to apply terms. If someone decides to start eating healthy, they will realize they have more energy. Since they are already on the pathway of taking care of their health, they decide they should use that extra energy and go to the gym. The gym tires out their body by a healthy energy expenditure. As such, they decide to go to bed a little earlier. The next morning, they wake up more vibrant and are able to perform their day to day duties more sufficiently and, all together, lives a healthier lifestyle. It begins from one good decision, but it leads into more good decisions.

Unfortunately, the alternative is true. Rather than deciding to eat healthy, let's take this same individual and say they just eat junk food. Odds are, they will not have the energy to go to the gym, and even if they do, they will tire out before any real benefit is made. Due to many of the preservatives and sugars in junk food, it is harder to get to sleep early and the quality of sleep diminishes. This individual wakes up tired and worn out and can't get their lifestyle together. Again, one poor choice leads to poorer choices. And the consequences are just.

This applies to our lives in the Lord. If you choose to walk in righteousness, you will reap the fruit of righteousness. Making that choice to get into the word in the morning may lead you to consider praying on your car ride to work. That may motivate you to pray throughout the day. Rather than scrolling on social media on your down time, you may choose to read a psalm or proverb. When someone does wrong by you, instead of retaliating you may instead respond in gentleness. It all stems from walking righteously.  So walk in righteousness and reap that righteous reward.