Pursue Righteousness and Kindness

In Pursue Righteousness and Kindness, Whitney Hopler reflects on Proverbs 21:21 and reveals how righteousness and kindness are designed to work hand in hand in the life of a believer. Too often, we separate the two—valuing truth over grace or compassion over conviction—but Scripture reminds us that real holiness comes from their balance. True righteousness isn’t rigid, and true kindness isn’t weak; together, they mirror the heart of Jesus, who perfectly embodied both truth and love in every word and action.

Highlights

• Proverbs 21:21 connects righteousness and kindness as virtues meant to be pursued together.

• Righteousness without kindness can lead to self-righteousness and harshness.

• Kindness without righteousness can turn into people-pleasing and compromise.

• Jesus modeled perfect balance—He stood firmly for truth while showing compassion to sinners.

• Pursuing both virtues leads to spiritual growth, deeper relationships, and the fullness of life God promises.

• Living with both conviction and compassion points others toward God’s truth and love.

Join the Conversation

Do you find it easier to stand for truth or to lead with kindness? How can you bring more balance between the two in your life this week? Share your reflections and examples of living out Proverbs 21:21. Tag @LifeAudioNetwork and use #PursueRighteousness #LiveKindly #FaithInAction to join the conversation.

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Full Transcript Below:

Pursue Righteousness and Kindness
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21, ESV

Where I work, at George Mason University, we honor people from throughout our university community as “Kindness Ambassadors” on World Kindness Day each November. Our Kindness Ambassadors are students, faculty, or staff members who have been nominated for the honor by people who appreciate their kindness. Once they’re honored, they serve as ambassadors for the importance of spreading kindness every day. People who others recognize as being especially kind inspire many others to pursue kindness in their own lives. In the process, we often see that the same people who put kindness into action also stand up for what’s right. Kindness is an important part of living a righteous life.

Proverbs 21:21 connects righteousness and kindness as virtues we should pursue together to grow in holiness. They balance each other well. If we try to separate them, we can see that they’re not meant to be separated.

Righteousness without kindness can lead to legalism and self-righteousness. We can be technically “right” but harsh, critical, and unloving in how we express the truth. We can see this in the Pharisees, who were obsessed with the letter of the law but often missed God’s heart, which is full of compassion, grace, and mercy. If we pursue righteousness alone, we may win arguments, but we risk losing relationships. We might have all the right answers but still sin by speaking sharp words.

Kindness without righteousness can become weak and compromising. It can turn into simple people-pleasing, where we avoid speaking the truth because we’re afraid of conflict. It’s being nice without the backbone of conviction. True kindness isn’t just about making people feel good; it’s about wanting what’s genuinely best for them, and what’s best is always connected to God’s truth. Kindness without the foundation of righteousness can lead us to approve of things God calls wrong, all because we’re trying not to offend people.

God’s design is for righteousness and kindness to work in a partnership. Righteousness is what we believe, while kindness is how we live out that truth in the world around us.

As we pursue both virtues, we can point people toward God’s truth and love, which Jesus showed us the perfect example of during his earthly life. Jesus never compromised the truth. He spoke directly against sin and hypocrisy, which shows us righteousness in action. Yet, Jesus was also known for being a friend to sinners and for speaking with incredible gentleness and compassion to people in pain, which shows us kindness in action. Jesus wove righteousness and kindness together in all of his words and actions. We can ask Jesus to be our advocate by helping us with whatever we need while we’re trying to develop more righteousness and kindness in our lives.

Proverbs 21:21 promises that pursuing righteousness and kindness leads to life, righteousness, and honor. By balancing these two virtues, we can live our best lives, grow closer to God, and experience all the blessings that result from doing so.

So, let’s take an honest look at our hearts. Are we leaning too far one way? Are we so focused on being right that we’ve forgotten to be kind? Or, are we so focused on being nice that we’ve started to compromise what’s right? God calls us to pursue righteousness and kindness together. When we do, we can discover the wonderful lives he wants us to enjoy!

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how to pursue both righteousness and kindness regularly, reflect on these questions:

• Do you find it easier to pursue righteousness (like standing for truth and doing what's right) or to pursue kindness (being compassionate and loving)? Why?
• When have you seen someone show righteousness without kindness? How did it feel? When have you seen kindness without righteousness? What was the result?
• Jesus was the perfect example of righteousness and kindness. Which story from the Gospels best shows this balance to you?
• How can you apply both righteousness and kindness to a difficult situation you’re currently facing?
• What’s one step you can take this week to bring more kindness into your pursuit of righteousness, or more righteousness into your practice of kindness?

Further Reading:
Micah 6:8
Ephesians 4:15
Zechariah 7:9
2 Timothy 2:24-25
James 3:17

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