Be a Righteous Person

Have you noticed? Today it seems that all problems need to be settled with violence. I don’t get it! Violence breeds violence. Nothing is solved by it. It doesn’t matter if it is a family issue, a neighborhood issue or an international issue. Talking it out seems to have gone out the window. I don’t know about where you live, but the papers and the news are filled with the deaths of innocent people who were caught in the middle of a fight. If a person cuts another person off while driving, it can end with death as the person who was cut off gets so angry that they either beat the other driver, stab him or her or shoot him or her. The world is nuts! It used to be that people would engage in a shouting match if they were angry.

Now, it can turn into shooting, stabbing or worse. Even leaders of nations get into the act by threatening “action” against those who don’t do what they want. This is not the world that God envisioned. This is not righteousness; this is the work of the devil. There is an expression, “Live by the sword; die by the sword.” This tells us that violence begets violence and those who live that way are more apt to die a violent death. God want us to be happy and live in peace. It seems that we have lost the way to a place of happiness and peace.

To find it, we need to follow Jesus. We need to relearn forgiveness and compassion. We need to relearn how to deal with one another in a civilized manner. God will show us the way to righteousness if we only ask. Then we can be counted among the upright who will see the face of God.

Good and gracious God, you desire all your children to be with you in eternity. You sent your Son so that we could learn how you wanted us to live on earth so that we would share your joy. In so many ways, we have gone astray. Help us to relearn the path to peace. Amen.