David described the godly man in Ps. 1:3, saying, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall also not wither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.”
Consider these qualities of such a man…
- The godly man is strengthened by his relationship to God. Plants need water to survive. But, a tree planted by water is one that becomes firmly rooted because of its nearness to the source of life. So it is with the godly man. Because he is near to God, he has greater access to the very source of his spiritual life and is stronger because of it. (Mt. 5L:7; Rev. 22:17) We can’t nourish and support ourselves; we must be rooted in Christ and draw upon his spiritual power.
- The godly man brings forth much fruit through his life. He isn’t just a believer…he produces fruit in himself and in his relationship with other. He may develop the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23); win souls to Christ (Pr. 1:30); render service and good works (Col. 1:10); and praise for the Lord (Heb. 13:15)
- The godly man is one of strong character. He does not wither, he does not give up and he is dependable. He will set an example for others because he is made in the image of God and cannot be led astray because he has a deep commitment to God (Eph.4:24)
- The Godly man will prosper. He will be blessed because God gives him all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3) and because his character produces only good things (Mt. 7:17-19). Though he is personally blessed by God, his godliness will positively affect others and he will have fruit in their lives as well. Because of his attentiveness to God’s will, he will bring forth good fruit that is needed to help others.
–Gary Knuckles lives in Benton, KY and preaches for the Briensburg Church of Christ