All about that grace

One of the things I have really been enjoying recently (as mentioned in my last post!) is the Bible Project series on the Sermon on the Mount. You have got to check it out. There are videos, articles, and some seriously inspirational podcast episodes.

Episode 6 of the Sermon on the Mount Podcast is called “The type of people God is forming (Beatitudes pt. 3)”. It has an excellent discussion on Righteousness.

Righteouness is one of those super religious words which I have heard all my life, and yet somehow I cannot actually tell you what it means. Until now, at least. Again, I strongly urge you to listen to the podcast yourself. Short of quoting the whole thing, I won’t even scratch the surface. But my very poor summary is that righteousness is all about right relationships – both with God and each other.

During the podcast, the host, Michelle Jones, interviews Dr Ben Tertin. She asks what righteousness looks like, and part of Ben’s response is just so good I have taken the liberty of transcribing it verbatim:

“Another great word that I really cling to in the conversation in mutuality… I think it’s good because for me what it does is it says ‘Am I looking at a person as better than me, or worse than me?’ And then as soon as I’m doing that, I’m out of a right way of relating. Because I’m measuring them according to something I can see or whatever.

“God wants me to say to the human: ‘You, human, are a miraculous, image-bearing creation of Yahweh, and therefore you are worth loving, blessing, caring for and never to be oppressed, harmed, mistreated, taken advantage of or – a great word is – consumed‘

“Other times the prophets talk about this – they say when unrighteousness is happening it’s like you’re devouring each other rather than blessing and encouraging and enlivening one another”

Bible Project Podcast: “The type of people God is forming (Beatitudes pt 3)” – from 11:22 (Emphasis mine)

I just love that. How would it change my behaviour towards myself and towards others if I could really see myself as a miraculous image-bearing creation of Yahweh?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could stop comparing ourselves and others to some bogus standard in our minds, and just accept that God made us, and that makes us amazing?!

I hope that truth sinks into your mind this week.

Listen to the podcast here: