The next Beatitude begs the question what is righteousness, and how can we hunger and thirst after it? The Lent Pilgrim devotionals over the past few days have highlighted a few dimensions of this.
First off from Romans 12:9-21 comes the idea of right behaviour, attitudes and actions which are in keeping with our Christian worldview. The implication here is that righteousness involves swimming against the flow, being truly counter-cultural in demonstrating love in spite of what moulds the wider world with its focus on personal attainment and looking out for number one seeks to press us in. The takeaway here is that we are to “overcome evil with good”(v21).
There is also a sense in which righteousness involves standing up for social justice. The context of Matthew 25:31-45 is the Final Judgement, at which some of the things we will be judged on will be the things we did (or didn’t do) - feed the hungry, water the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned - for the least of these.
Two other dimensions relate to restoring order - as created (Luke 4:16-22) and in the affairs of men (Mark11:15-19) - even if some aggression is required.
Behind all of that is hope - if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be filled.
Currently listening to: So Good (Covenant Worship)