Righteous and Devout

Devout

She kept a perfect home in many regards. Entering their home welcomes you with food and drink and engaging conversation. Every Sunday they entered the church just a few minutes late enough to be noticed. She was friends with the area Mom’s and knew what was going on. She had a keen eye for shopping and gave from her heart when the feeling was genuine. Every door in her home was open except one, the one to her bedroom. On top of the bed in the master bedroom sat all the laundry of the household forever piled in a heap 3 feet tall. She slept on the couch he slept on the floor until he was obliged to sleep outside in the R.V.

His engineering business was thriving so he hired on some help a man from his church. The project went well and there was a good payday when the project came to completion, good payday except for the man who had been hired to help complete the project. He was never fully compensated for his hours worked. No amount of intervention or reason ever overcame the division, there would be no payment the reasons were many and everyone decided to look the other way. The debt was never paid. But on most Sunday they were present in church, they were devout in their attendance and involvement.

Righteous

She worked for 30 years with under-privileged children. The daughter of privilege, it never got out of her mind how her neighborhood could be so comfortable in their wealth and privilege when just down the road three miles there was a whole other world. The conversation in the world of her youth revolved around demanding parents and which college you would go to. In her vocational world the conversations ran around survival, eviction and whether or not there would be food. Completing high school was a luxury most could not comprehend, college simply was not on the agenda, it was only a rare option for those with special promise shown significant attention by teachers who could guide a few through the process. Many fell out along the way, for one reason or another, fathers and mothers who deserted, unplanned pregnancies, and uncertain jobs. She gave her life to help these kids, but there was still an emptiness in her soul at the end of the day, something was missing. Going to church seemed to make some of that connection, but it had been so many years, and why did these people not care about the poor like the Jesus in the Bible?

Righteous and Devout

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

LK 2:29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.

LK 2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

LK 2:31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

LK 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."

Simeon is described as Righteous and Devout. He was clear about his allegiance to God and his service to others. Choosing devotion without righteousness is as empty as righteousness without devotion. Neither satisfies the deep longing designed into the soul of every person by God. Watching those who are devout to religion without being righteous is a distraction that entices many to wander from the delight that is only found in devotion to God. Delighting in religion is a poor mistress for knowing God deeply in a community of people who are dedicated to following Jesus Christ in every part of their life and practice. Most of us lean toward one or the other as a natural outworking of our gifts and biases, but God does the most amazing things when both are present.

What About You?

What is your deepest struggle, Devotion or Righteousness?

How do you define those in your life?

Who is helping you on the way?

[JC]