Around the celebration of Independence Day (July 4th), we need to remember that Solomon stated: “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34). What that exalting process involves was well stated by a Chinese Proverb:
“If there is righteousness in the heart there will be beauty in the character. If there be beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation there will be peace in the world.”
Surely you can see in the above quote that the source of these benefits originates from our hearts. The core cause for happy and harmonious homes, cooperating and commendable communities, a contended and cooperating nation emerges from the character and conduct of the righteous hearts. The Psalmist stated:
“I have been young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread”
(Psalm 37:25)
Prosperity and purity spring from righteous hearts. And it does not take a Lexicon nor a theologian to define the fact that righteousness springs from doing right! In his second inaugural address, Lincoln said, “Let us have faith that Right makes Might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.”
What a precious promise Jesus gave when He stated that if we only hunger and thirst for righteousness, we shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). Therefore, here is a most important question: How is Your “Righteousness” appetite?
- Frank S. Mead, 12,000 Inspiring Quotations, A Division of Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, Springfield, Massachusetts, 2000, p. 315.
- Lewis C. Henry, Best Quotations For All Occasions, Fawcett Publications, Inc., Greenwich, Conn., 1945, p.198.