What does it truly mean to flourish spiritually in our modern world? This exploration of Psalm 1 invites us into a profound meditation on the two paths set before every person: the way of blessing and the way of warning. We're confronted with a stark reality—our world is saturated with voices claiming to offer us the good life, from social media influencers to news channels to well-meaning advice-givers. Yet wisdom calls us to discernment: whose counsel are we actually following? The psalm presents a vivid progression of spiritual decline—from walking with the wicked, to standing with sinners, to sitting with scoffers—a gradual descent from activity to passivity, from movement to being stuck. But the blessed person? They delight in God's instruction, meditating on it day and night. This meditation isn't merely intellectual exercise or box-checking; it's like a dog with a bone, turning it over, savoring it, extracting every bit of nourishment. The promise is beautiful: we become like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season, leaves never withering. Yet here's the tension we must wrestle with—none of us can achieve this righteousness on our own. We all fall short. This is where the psalm points us forward to Jesus, the true vine to whom we must abide. It's only through Christ that we gain access to this flourishing life, and reading Scripture becomes our lifeline to knowing Him more deeply, not just knowing about Him, but truly knowing Him in intimate relationship.