Scripture

Matthew 5:20 ESV

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Consider

Righteousness is relational. It is purity of intent that springs from a heart surrendered to God, and it manifests its presence in our words, attitudes, and behaviors. Although God confers righteousness through the work of the Spirit, we must consent to being transformed and committing ourselves to a new way of interacting with the world.

Moreover, learning to live righteously is a process that takes time and discipline. Thankfully, God covers us with the righteousness of Christ so that our stops and starts, our mistakes and resistance, will not cost us our salvation. Under cover of the cross, we study and learn what it means to follow our Lord’s example of living rightly in a world fraught with disappointment, pain, confusion, and sometimes outright cruelty and evil intentions.

To live righteously in our relationships means to cultivate respect, patience, and love until they permeate our every thought, word, and deed. We can evaluate our progress in learning to live righteously by examining three primary relationships in terms of these three qualifiers.

My Relationship with God. Do I respect and hallow God’s holy Name in my thoughts, prayers, and speech? Do I approach God with humility and awe as my Lord and Creator? Do I pray with patience and trust, confident that God will answer in his own way and according to his own timetable? Do I love God and God’s ways so much that I yearn for the Spirit’s refining influence on my heart to make me more like Christ? Do I regularly seek friendship with God because I enjoy spending time with Him?

My Relationship with Myself. How well do I respect myself? Do I nourish my body and mind with good things? Can I withstand insults and disrespect from others because I have solid confidence in my worth as God’s beloved child? Do I have patience with my mistakes and human failings as I navigate the twisty course life has laid out for me, or do I punish myself for my imperfections? Am I content to be a disciple who still has a lot to learn from my Master? Do I delight in the knowledge that God designed me with care, and do I love myself enough to make wise and careful decisions that will affect my well-being? Do I cultivate friendships that help and encourage me in right paths, and do I discourage toxic associations? Do I enjoy my own company?

My Relationship with Others. Do I typically approach other people as equals or with a distorted sense of respect, that is, either regarding them as inferior to myself in some way or elevating them beyond reasonable expectations? Can I listen to their opinions without judgment and accept our differences with grace? Do I expect others to gratify my needs in a timely fashion, or can I accept their timetable? How patient am I in allowing others to make mistakes, choose differently than I would choose, or to disagree with me outright? How willing am I to forgive or accept their forgiveness? What am I willing to sacrifice for another person’s well-being? Is it difficult for me to pray that God would bless and prosper some people in my life?

Try applying this last paragraph to different categories of “others,” such as a friend, relative, competitor, co-worker, neighbor, political or religious opponent, boss or supervisor. If loving, respecting, and being patient with this person seems foolish or impossible to you, consider whether a dark corner of your heart is still ruling this relationship. If so, pray for the Spirit to cleanse and fill that space with Christ’s righteousness. Loving and respecting our enemies can only make sense to the mind that aligns itself with the mind of Christ.

Pray

Heavenly Father, I pray with the psalmist: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24 ESV) Thank you, Lord, for the righteousness of Christ that covers me as I make my stumbling but earnest way along the path toward your righteous perfection.

Reflect

Matthew 15:17-20; 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Ponder

What recent trouble might be traced to my failure to live righteously in a relationship?