The Right Thing
“I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” Psalms 37:25 (NKJV)
If there’s only one thing you hold on to in this life, let it be this: God does not lie. “I have not seen the righteous forsaken: This is not just a comforting verse; it is a divine truth that has stood the test of time.
One of God’s greatest blessings in my life has been the gift of men divinely positioned people who pour into me, challenge me, and shape me. One of these people was Mr. Gregory. I met him during my first managerial appointment. My employer had told me she’d introduce me to her consultant, a mentor who would guide me. I was excited. When we got to the factory, there was a strange-looking man sitting by the gate. His clothes were plain, and he had lost most of his teeth. I assumed he was the gateman. He greeted us and engaged me in conversation. I responded politely, impressed by his eloquence despite his appearance. My employer watched silently and then walked into the office. I followed her. Moments later, the same man walked in, took a seat, and was introduced as the consultant. I almost fell off my seat.
“This is her, Mr. Greg. I am handing her over to you please train and mentor her.” Seeing the look of shock on my face, Mr. Greg laughed and asked, “Are you married?”
“No, sir,” I replied
“First lesson,” he said, “Don’t be fooled by appearance. Remember when God sent Samuel to anoint a new king? He almost chose the wrong one because of looks. But God said, ‘Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
That moment marked the beginning of a mentorship that changed my life. The first spiritual lesson Mr. Greg taught me was about righteousness. “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.” Luke 20:25 (NLT)
Let’s talk about Julius Caesar the Roman leader referenced by Jesus. Caesar was a brilliant military strategist, but his leadership was marked by deep flaws. He violated Roman laws, used the army to seize power, and dismantled the shared governance system of the Roman Republic. He ruled as a dictator and consolidated power around himself. He silenced critics, manipulated the Senate, and crushed opposition.
Caesar represents governments and leaders who abuse power, act unjustly, and rule for personal gain rather than the good of the people. Yet Jesus said: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” This was not an endorsement of Caesar’s corruption. Rather, Jesus was teaching us that our righteousness must stand even under unrighteous systems. He was saying: You may not control the system, but you are responsible for your actions within it. This is the standard of God.
Today, in many nations especially in Nigeria our “Caesars” still live:
• Government leaders who build wealth on the back of poverty.
• Public servants who serve themselves more than the people.
• Institutions that are more interested in control than service.
Managers who are modern-day Caesars in their spheres of influence. It is tempting to respond to corruption with compromise. To say, “If they cheat, why shouldn’t I?” But righteousness doesn’t bend to the system. It stands above it.
I had a close friend whose mother rarely went to church, but she lived by kingdom principles. She ran her business with integrity. She paid every tax, every levy. She refused to cut corners and didn’t let her children or staff do it either. She hung signs in her business that read: “A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His work.” Proverbs 16:11
This verse is not just about business, it’s about life. God honors fairness. God protects the righteous, whether he be ‘Jew’ or ‘gentile’. In Abuja, landlords often build extra shops on their plots to make more money. Her neighbors did so without approval. The government demolished their shops. When my friend’s mom decided to build, her neighbors warned her to refer to their own experiences. “Don’t waste your money they’ll demolish them.”
But she followed due process. She obtained all her permits. She didn’t just build one or two shops; she built six additional structures on the existing structure. More than twenty years have passed, and those shops are still standing.
What Is Righteousness?
Righteousness is not perfection. It is a consistent decision to do what is right even when no one else is. Righteousness means:
- Don’t lie (even when it seems easier).
- Don’t steal (even if “everyone is doing it”).
- Pay your staff on time.
- Pay your taxes.
- Drive responsibly.
- Forgive even the unforgivable. (This is very hard to do)
- Love even the unlovable. (This is even harder)
- Give even when it feels like there’s nothing left.
- Pray even when you’re tired.
- Don’t cheat anyone or institution
- Don’t cheat yourself
- Ask God for help.
- Ask God for wisdom.
The list is so long but we can start with the choices present to us daily.
God recently taught me something profound about His standards, using a simple yet striking example: If I run a business that is legally exempt from taxes, but I believe I should be paying tax and choose not to, then I have done the wrong thing not legally, but spiritually. Why? Because in my heart, I intended to cheat the system. In the eyes of the law, I am innocent. But in the eyes of God, my ignorance and dishonest intent still count as guilt. Get knowledge because God looks at the heart. Get knowledge so that doing the right thing would become easier.
Every day, we are faced with choices between right and wrong. Most times, the right thing looks inconvenient, costly, or unpopular especially in a place like Nigeria, where shortcuts are often rewarded and corruption is normalized. If you run a business in Nigeria, you are required to pay taxes unless you are officially exempt. That is the law.
But here’s the common mindset:
“Why should I pay taxes? What has the government done for me? No light, no good roads, no water. I provide everything myself. Why enrich thieves?” Valid frustration. But that doesn’t change God’s standard.
if your service costs $10, and VAT is 7.5%, you should charge $10.75. You keep $10, and remit $0.75 to the government.
• If you charge $10 without VAT, that’s wrong (unless exempt).
• If you charge $10.75 and don’t remit the VAT, that’s also wrong.
The first divine attribute ever revealed to man is not power, or love, or mercy. It is righteousness. “The Lord is righteous in all His ways…” Psalm 145:17
When we walk in righteousness, we walk in alignment with God. And when we walk with God, we are never forsaken. It will cost us. We may look foolish. It may be lonely. But righteousness always wins in the end.
I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging for bread. Psalms 37:25 (NKJV)
Even in Nigeria, even under your ‘Caesar’, even in this broken world, choose to do the right thing. It will be hard but let God see your efforts and He will help you. Because before righteousness exalts a nation, it will start with one person.
You and Me