Righteous is a difficult concept in our supercool world. Being referred to as righteous might be right up there with holy, or pious...perhaps a step below goody-two-shoes, or even (*gasp*) community organizer.
When did it become so problematic to be called righteous? What IS righteous, anyway? The dictionary says that righteous is "morally right or justifiable" (which I would argue may be worlds apart), or "virtuous". Hmmm...somehow virtuous sounds a little better. As a working definition, I think Spike Lee's 1989 movie title, Do the Right Thing, will do.
Once we get past the problematic moniker, how does one go about, well, BEING righteous? Again, we'd get pretty far referring back to Spike Lee (*ahem*). Three passages of holy text always come to mind as I contemplate righteousness; I leave them here, some in paraphrase, for your consideration.
What is it that holiness asks of me? Simply this--
to pursue justice,
to act from compassion,
to walk the earth in humility, alongside my creator.
--Micah 6:8/para. laca.
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
--Isaiah 58:6-8/NIV
Jesus answered, "To love God with every part of your life,
what shows and what only you know,
is the most vital element of a righteous life.
Just as vital to righteousness is your love and regard
for your neighbor and yourself,
as dearly loved children of God's.
No law or prophecy contradicts these.
--Matthew 22:37-40/para. laca.
In quietness and in confidence, let us reclaim righteousness as a virtue. This? This is a life I can get behind.
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