You must do what is right.
Sadly, we live in an age where what is right can be personalised. It suggests that what is right is only what is right for you. And it goes on to suggest that just because it’s right for you does not mean it’s right for everyone else. People feel uncomfortable with what it leads to, even when this is drawn out. It leads to a sense that we cannot determine what is right between us. We value the role of law and rules above us in operating between us. If we’re honest, we value the thought that certain things should generally be considered what is right and wrong. We are uncomfortable with the idea that certain activities are only expressions of what is not right for us. We are uncomfortable with that, yet we still want to give the impression that we can live in a world where what is right for us is just a personal preference.
Sadly, we live in an age where those who propose a sense of what is right for people in a manner to support the development of humanity to blossom and be a blessing to others and God are marginalised and considered freaks and threats to society. Jesus did not come to put forward a proposal of life that suggests you can do what you like as long as it’s right for you. He had the audacity to propose that life only has meaning under the rule of God. He demonstrated what that looked like and was clear in acknowledging that this was not something that comes from this world, even as He did not originate from the world. His call to live under the rule of God required those who responded to turn from the world. And turn to the rule of God that changed us from the inside out. That is a claim for what is right. It’s backed up by several actions that reinforce the claim but do not leave what is right to just a personal preference.
We must do what is right.
Following Jesus is not a solo sport. It's about building relationships and being part of a community. A community committed to sharing the same mind as Jesus. This is not a call to uniformity, but it does lead us to share the same desire and goal to give glory to God by doing His will. This may express itself differently in our individual lives, but it does not express itself in a way that clashes and contradicts with each other as we endeavour to submit to Him and each other. That’s why when I’m behaving in a way that goes against the rule of God, my brother and sister are responsible for calling me out on it. My erroneous behaviour is not just a problem for me – it’s a problem for us. We are people of the Way. We are people who reflect the Way. That means we don’t get to make up what we like about what’s right. We gotta reflect the Way even when it does not reflect the world around us. It’s not supposed to because we are not of this world, even as the one who saved us is not of this world.
I must do what is right.
I’m not one for disturbed sleep. More often than not, when my head hits the pillow, and I’m gone, I’m not one to be troubled to wake up because of something in my mind. God gives this guy sweet sleep more often than not. Despite that, my being is never at rest when I’m out of sync with Him. When I’m not right with Him and when I’m not doing what’s right, it has an effect on me. I’m not at my best. I’m not really at my peak. Worse still, I know full well that until I rectify things, I won’t have peace. I won’t have peace until I do what is right. Doing what is right is not always comfortable or convenient. Often, doing what’s right has caused hardship, pain and misunderstanding. There have been times when doing what’s right has brought me into contention with the desires of others, and it would appear that I would be better off taking another choice. Yet, doing what is right in God’s sight has always given me peace. Doing what’s right is the best option to pursue, not what I think feels right, but what is right. That’s not always obvious at the time, but it can be seen in the light of history that the decisions were made that were right in God’s sight. That’s a much better way to live than making things up for myself or living my truth. Nah, that kind of living is the sort of delusion I know leads to despair. I am a lot better off looking to Jesus, submitting to His will and doing what’s right in His sight for the glory of the Father.
For His Name's Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
