A new year and a new decade with loads of opportunities. May God be with you every step of the way in 2020.

We must clean our bowl, firstly by taking out the wrong deeds. But now we have to polish that bowl until it is shiny and bright, so that it looks good to be used. Here are a few suggestions on how to do that: ²²Run after mature righteousness – faith, love, peace – joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.

The first suggestion is to let righteousness triumph. The key word is ‘right’. We have to live right. We must make sure that we live right with God. Our relationship with God must be right.

No frogs in the pipe. We know what we have to do and not do to have the right relationship with God. You see, if our relationship with God is right, God will help us do the right thing at all other levels of our lives.

Then we can look at our relationships with the people around us. We must do the right thing to ensure that we have the right relationships with the people around us. Be sincere in all that you do. Do things out of love – simply to give. Take the own self out of the picture and find places where you can help others.

I must confess I struggle with this. It’s as if it doesn’t want to happen automatically. In fact, the opposite actually happens. Then I have to struggle not to do the wrong thing. And unfortunately, I often fail and ‘right’ doesn’t triumph.

Does that happen to you too?

As I wonder how one can do “better” in this aspect and prevent wrong to slip by, I see Jesus’ image before me. Jesus was the picture of righteousness. He did everything right.

His relationship with God was so right. He was always in tune with God. He always did what was right in God’s eyes and walked every step exactly according to his will.

His relationship with Himself was right. He knew Who He was. He knew what He came to do. His self-image was right. Everything was exactly right.

His relationship with the people around Him was right. His heart bled for people who suffered and He couldn’t keep Himself from doing miracles to alleviate the pain of others.

What better teacher do we need to show us what is right? Jesus was the champion of living right.

I suspect we need to slow down in life. We must learn to hit the pause button. We must hit that button every time before we make a decision, it doesn’t matter how small. Then we need to ask: How would Jesus have said it? What would Jesus have done? How would He have looked at it? How would He have done the right thing?

And in a way I’m still not excited about getting it right, because I know what my shortcomings are. Therefore, I can only ask the Holy Spirit to help us live right, to polish our bowls until they shine, so that God can enjoy using us.

Scripture
2 Tim 2:22-26

Reflection
Where in your life is righteousness lacking?
What do you have to do differently?

Prayer
Father, it’s not always easy for me to do what is right. I try, but sadly I fail so often. I cannot do it on my own. Please let your Spirit come and help me. Amen.