“Blessed are they...,” said the Psalmist, “who constantly do what is right.” Jesus, too, emphasized the importance of righteousness when He began His public ministry. “Blessed,” said Jesus, “are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Doing what is right and hungering and thirsting for righteousness is not a priority in the lives of many who call themselves “Christian.” It sounds like a lifestyle that is more suitable for monks who live in a monastery and spend their time reading the Bible and praying than for people who work for a living. Monks can avoid the “real things” of life and “be righteous.”
Perhaps when we think of being “righteous” and “doing what is right,” we shudder because it sounds so “limiting” on the one hand, and “impossible” on the other. “What fun is there in being righteous?” we ask. Or “If I ‘do right,’ I’ll live a life of gloom and doom with no room for happiness and joy.” What a grim prospect.
But the exact opposite is true. God has a specific plan for each of our lives and will enable us to fulfill it. Ultimately, we will become like His Son. If we seek and follow the plan and purpose He has for our lives, we will walk in paths of “righteousness for His name’s sake.” If we want to know the “path of righteousness” He has for our lives, we must study His Word. And, the more we study His Word, the more we will become like Him. If we desire to “do right” and become “righteous,” we will need to spend time with Him, get to know Him, and love Him. If we “do right,” we will “become right.”
Prayer: Lord, we all want to “do right.” But we cannot “do right” unless we are willing to spend time with You. Teach us to be You-like. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Scripture For Today: Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Psalm 106:3
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