Is it possible to “do the right thing” but not practice righteousness as God wants us to? This is a question I recently posed to my kids as we explored the Christian concept of righteousness. If our request to pick up the toys is met with groans, throwing toys into bins and, upon completion, punching me before stomping off and slamming the door… has righteousness been carried out?
The toys are put away. In fact, the room looks as good as it has in weeks. How could I possibly claim that righteousness was not carried out? If I’m using a modern, Western mindset with a focus on legal facts then, yes, the work was completed according to the letter of the law - but is that what the biblical author means?
For the original author, the concept of righteousness carries a sense of relational harmony. Am I doing things in such a way that manifests God's love? Am I promoting the quality of relationship with God's image bearers? Am I valuing the relationship as more important than completing the task?
This isn’t just about my kids and their toys. It’s about all of us - how we engage at work, how we treat our family at home, how we serve in the community, how we share the gospel and grow our churches.
Is it enough to simply do the work any old way? Do the ends justify the means? For the biblical author, the answer is abundantly clear. Jesus showed what love is: “[he] laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (v. 16). This is only possible if we abide in him and trust him to live in and through us in the power of the Spirit.
Heavenly Father, every day there are tasks to be done. May I seek to do all I do today in the power of the Spirit, manifesting your love, peace, joy, and goodness to my family and those around me.
Throughout This Day: Set aside time to honestly evaluate an area of your life. Is that area enhancing the quality of your relationships? If not, what adjustments can you make to that end?
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