Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.Psalm 112:4-6
Today’s scripture from BibleGateway.com is the sentence in the middle. To provide context, I included the verses that appear before and after. Notice that the word “righteous” is used twice, speaking about generosity, mercifulness, and justice. The Hebrew word, translated as righteousness, is צַדִיק (pronounced tsah-deek). It carries the strong connotation of just and lawful dealings in everything we do in life, including business affairs, leadership, and relationships.
In my past life (career before ministry), I had several managers/directors along the way. Unfortunately, very few conducted themselves with grace, mercy, justice, and righteousness. One in particular was the inverse of the person mentioned in this Psalm. A friend and coworker once told me that that boss would provide a lifetime of sermon topics. I can report that I have yet to use him… well sorta!
Again, righteousness is about showing grace, mercy, justice, and generosity. Stay upright and righteous, and “42” will remember you!
God has told you, O human, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?Micah 8 (adapted)
SEARCHING FOR 42 