Praise the Lord!
Happy are those who fear the Lord,
who greatly delight in his commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings;
their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady; they will not be afraid;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely; they have given to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn is exalted in honor. ~ Psalm 112:1-9
Another passage where righteousness (or justice) is tied to our treatment of the poor.
Last week, Paul reminded us of the foolishness of the cross - how God upends how we see the world.
Where the foolish, the downtrodden, the weak, and the despised have a special place in God's heart.
How often do we miss this?
How often do we walk by and not even see the poor who are in front of us?
One of the things I love about my church is their care for the poor. As a community of faith, Grace has a heart for those who are suffering.
But I constantly ask myself if I live up to this the rest of the time.
Does my love of the poor translate into my day to day life?
Am I among the righteous the Psalmist lifts up - the ones who are lights for the upright?
Help me to live in righteousness and justice O Lord. Amen
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