“For the Lord is
righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.” –Psalm11:7
Is righteousness something you ever think about? It can be a
bit of a nebulous concept where we think “Yeah, that’s something good. People
should be righteous.” But what does it actually mean on a daily basis?
Sometimes right and wrong is cut and dried and the way of
righteousness is abundantly clear. Other times, difficult decisions arise and the
waters are murky.
It can be easy to slide towards a line of right and wrong
and justify whether you’re on the right side of the line. This misses the point
though. Righteousness is a direction and not a line. When we’re moving in the
direction of righteousness, there’s less question about what we can and can’t
justify, what we should or shouldn’t do.
It’s good to think through complex moral questions ahead of
time but a guiding principle should be, “does it move me closer to God or
further away?” The answer to that question will point you in the direction of
righteousness.
The Bible talks about righteousness over and over and how
God loves it. Righteousness is just a part of close communion with God. It
means we’re in lock step with Him and seeking after His ways and goodness.
The more frequently we move in the direction of
righteousness in the little things, the easier it is to discern right and wrong
in the big stuff. Similar to how you might become skilled through practicing a
golf swing, free throw shot, or dance move, practice will exercise the muscles
of righteousness. Jesus is a great workout buddy for this type of thing and
will pump you up!
Don’t let what others are doing, convenience, or what’s
easiest drive your decision making. Even if it means taking a harder road, the
path of righteousness leads to the riches of intimacy with God.
What are some steps you can take to move in the direction of
righteousness?
In pursuit of His best,
Andrew
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