What Could Keep Us from Doing What Is Right?
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Do the right thing
“The time is always right to do what’s right.” Martin Luther King Jr.
The quote above is a statement Dr. King made at Oberlin College in October 1964. The thought of this statement permeates much of what he spoke and wrote about integration and civil rights. Every year, as our nation observes the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, a flurry of his quotes fills social media posts, news media, and speeches.
As with many statements these days, these quotes are expressed outside of their original context. The larger context of these words is the life and calling of Dr. King—a Baptist preacher and the son of a Baptist preacher. The ’50s and ’60s were tumultuous times in America. It was not empty rhetoric, but truth grounded in the reality of his time.
So… What keeps us from doing the right thing? Perhaps a bigger question is—what is the right thing to do? How do we know what is right from what is wrong? These are questions the world around us cannot answer for us.
Each of us can be convinced of our own rightness, but our words and actions in life must be consistent in our daily lives. Otherwise, we can say one thing but live a different way. Then, what we claim as rightness is out of context with whom we are and how we live.
Left unchecked against the truth of God, our sense of rightness soon becomes self-righteousness—our narrow view of right and wrong. This extends beyond religious self-righteousness and permeates every aspect of our life. It becomes an attitude of the heart.
Doing the right thing is a common theme throughout Proverbs. It ought to be a common tenet of good business ethics and basic morality. However, knowing what the right thing to do is, depends on a person’s belief system, values, and cultural influences.
Scripture
A person thinks everything he does is right,
but the Lord weighs hearts.
Doing what is right and fair
is more acceptable to the Lord than offering a sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:2-3 GW)
(Context— (Proverbs 21:1-8 GW)
Simple insights
Self-righteousness sets us up to be judgmental and prejudiced toward others. This narrow view of rightness produces a judgmental view of others and a sense of superiority towards those who don’t measure up to our sense of righteousness—our view of what’s true, right, and fair.
When self-righteousness goes unchecked, it isolates a person from those deemed inferior in their religion, thinking, politics, behavior, associations with others, and in other ways. The only counter to self-righteousness is humility—a sense of who we are in comparison to God rather than ourselves or others.
God knows our hearts. He knows our motives. He alone is able to judge in a true and just way and He is by nature merciful (Exo 34:6; Luke 6:36). When we see our own sense of rightness in light of God’s mercy, it can free us from a judgmental and prejudiced heart.
Genuine humility can set us free from a self-righteous heart. Instead of the narrow view of self-righteousness—that no one measures up to including us—humility sets us free to do what is right and fair. This is more acceptable to God rather than any self-righteous attitude or effort on our part.
How we see and treat others is a good indicator of what standard of rightness we hold. Is it our own or God’s? Do we measure our own sense of rightness compared with others or God?
Do the right thing in life based on the goodness and truth of God. This will please the Lord, bless others, and benefit us, too. “Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to the Lord than offering a sacrifice (vs 3).”
Reflection—
No one can measure up to the narrow and judgmental perspective of self-righteousness. This includes ourselves, no matter how right we think we are. How we see and treat others is a good indicator of what standard of rightness we hold—our own or God’s. God alone is just and merciful.
Prayer Focus—
If you find yourself looking down at others as inferior and wrong, ask God to give you His perspective on others—how He sees them and us. When you find a self-righteous attitude welling up in your mind and heart, humble yourself and ask God to forgive you.
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