Maintaining Rightouesness
1 Kings 10:9
Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
1 Kings 10:8-10 (in Context) 1 Kings 10 (Whole Chapter)
2 Chronicles 9:8
Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
2 Chronicles 9:7-9 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 9 (Whole Chapter)
Job 27:6
I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
Job 27:5-7 (in Context) Job 27 (Whole Chapter)
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I suppose maintaining righteousness cannot be any harder for me than it was for a king with everything or a man with nothing. Two extremes of ones worldly position, both of which cause people to forsake their Lord, yet neither Solomon nor Job did. I find that incredible. Yet, I know that maintaining my own righteousness is a purpose I must resolve to every day… if not every hour.
I also never gave thought to how I might maintain the righteousness around me. My family can be obedient to God as a unit, and as the head of this family, I must do what I can, while maintaining my own righteousness; similarly with my team at work. And I see that when Sheba was talking about Solomon, she saw justice separately from righteousness. That’s interesting… but I agree that those are different, though related. A person who is not very capable, but earnestly tries out of obedience to God, will be able to maintain righteousness, yet not justice. But Solomon must have been very capable… in fact we know him to be the wisest man alive then… for in his righteousness, he could maintain justice, for it was out of belief and obedience to God. I pray that within my limited sphere of influence, I might do the same. Amen.