The Work of Righteousness

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. (Isaiah 32:17 NKJV)

Righteousness is a very Christian word. It is all over our bible. We use it a lot. But what does it really mean?

If we look up the Hebrew word, we find that it has a basic definition of righteousness, fairness, or justice. It is a different word from a retributive justice. That would be the Hebrew word mishpat. The word for righteousness, tsedaqah, is a justice that corrects what is wrong. 

God saw that it was just, right, and fair to correct what was wrong in our thinking rather than simply punishing us for thinking it. So Jesus came and stood among us as the Correction of every misunderstanding we had about God, about ourselves, and about people in general. 

Rather than a vengeful short-tempered being, Jesus revealed a loving Father. He revealed that we are His children and we are greatly loved. He revealed that humanity never lost its value, even though they had lost their concept of God as well as their own identity. 

Jesus told us that we would know the truth and the truth would make us free. That’s why Isaiah tells us that the work of righteousness would be peace and the effect of righteousness would be quietness and assurance forever. 

This is the rest for our soul that Jesus spoke of. It comes because we have found that we are safe with our loving Father, and we are secure in our identity as His children. This perfect love casts out our fear. We come to know a deep security that we have found from our Father’s validation.

We no longer need status, comparisons, or praises of men. This security means we don’t have to dominate, be greater than others, or win at any cost. But we can enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing we are valuable and precious, even in our weaknesses. 

Jesus demonstrated this kind of life when He washed the disciples feet, an act that looked like He was debasing and humiliating Himself. But what we actually see is someone so confident in His identity and in His Father’s love that He doesn’t need to be exalted or even worshiped in this moment. He needed nothing. The One who already had everything had so much in His heart to give to His disciples. This is the peace and the freedom that He wants us all to experience. He wants us to know how big we really are inside. 

Like the One who did not have to turn stones into bread, we have to do nothing to prove how valuable and wonderfully made we are. We don’t have to show anyone how great we are because we are at peace with ourselves and we love letting others know how wonderful and valuable they are. 

It was just and right for God to correct our wrong thinking so that we could enjoy the life that He has to give us. It was His idea to humble himself to come to serve us and not to be served. He just wanted to bring us into right alignment on the inside, so we can now enjoy this kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in His Spirit. 

We will continue to grow in this reality. Our fears will continue to diminish. We will live more in freedom from the opinions and judgments of others. We will be givers of goodness. 

The truth continues to make us free. Enjoy the growth! Enjoy the peace! Enjoy the quietness and assurance! This is the work of righteousness.