The Golden Girl...

'Even in darkness the light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.' Psalm 112

There's a perverted notion in various Christian communities that a genuinely righteous man will also be a financially blessed man/woman. As if grace, compassion and moral righteousness could be weighed and measured in gold here on earth. As if any man were able to muster up righteousness from within worthy of God.

My wife gave birth to our second child this week, a daughter, Ada. She's a tangible example (if not contextual) of light that dawns for the 'upright'. A brilliant gift symbolizing life and it's creator. My wife and I would never claim to be upright and yet in Christ we're forgiven, justified, sanctified...heirs to the heavenly throne alongside Christ.

This brilliant little light wasn't a gift we found within ourselves. It's from God.

One chapter before, in Psalm 111 we read, 'his righteousness endures forever...the Lord is gracious and compassionate.' The very same attributes given to the upright.

Any semblance of holiness we might display that sets us up to receive such a beautiful gift as Ada only comes from the God who models it. Money is necessary, it's a blessing to be sure...but it isn't the defining symbol of a righteous man. God is the definition and the symbol.

He cannot be weighed in gold. Neither can the blessings of a righteous man.