Righteousness

This is a word that as the church we tend to throw around a whole lot, but how many actually understand what it means and furthermore live a life seeking it? I have been challenged with this most of my Christian life. I figured that it was an unattainable standard that was used to make us feel condemned because of our sin. Also with the term I tend to think of it as a status or a system that we use to rank people. So basically, I buried this notion of striving to be righteous in the very depths of my mind, closed that door and tried to veil it as ignorance so I would not have to be burdened with this obligation which I could never complete. I was happy with this order of things, it made everything controllable, clean, and comfortable but the beauty of a growing relationship with the Father is that he ever so loves me that He always allows past issues to surface. He led me to the parable of the Two Sons...

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

‘I will not,” he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

Which of the two did what his father wanted?”“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Jesus was in a temple speaking to the chief priests and I love how he starts with a question. He is encouraging them to look inward at themselves. How they answered the question speaks loud and clears of the state of their heart; and of mine. I can admit that I would have chosen similar but right after that thought God spoke to me and said, “I am looking for hearts that are willing to seek after me.” I always assumed that the most important thing was doing what God asks of me but He really convicted me; God is seeking to change our hearts. There is no value in the acts that we do if we are not first seek to glorify God. My next question was, well how do I do that?
Righteousness cannot be earned because I cannot do it in my strength. The good thing about this is that when you allow Jesus to take you into the depths of your being and allow Him to transform your heart, he can make you righteous. All that he asks of us is to respond to his prompting, invite him into your life and seek him with all your heart, mind and soul. Righteousness is made beautiful by its simplicity; it means to live a life that is pleasing to God. It does not give you status; it will not make you invincible but rather it will break you and bring you to your knees. When you realize that it is not about you but about what He did. Amen!