Righteousness

          I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Psalm 7:17)

          Many years ago I got the idea that thanksgiving focused on what someone or something does, while praise focused on what someone or something is. I doubt that the dictionary makes that distinction. I doubt even more that most people (including me) make it either. Maybe the most important thing the distinction does is make it clear that both praise and thanksgiving are entirely appropriate. We need to remember to do both, especially to God, but also to people in our lives. 

         We have three weeks until Thanksgiving Day; three weeks to consider thankfulness and to give thanks and four weeks after that to consider praise. Today's passage addresses giving thanks for God's righteousness. "Righteousness" sounds like and "is" thing rather than a "do" thing. That would mean that the thanksgiving/praise distinction just mentioned is ignored in the very passage about which I mentioned it. Can one be righteous without doing things that are right?  Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” More importantly, James wrote, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:18 b) Righteousness cannot be righteousness without action, without "doing what is right."

          What does God do that is righteous? The answer is "everything," but today I want to focus on one thing. God tells us what is right in advance. He told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and He told Adam what would happen if Adam did. He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. He told the Israelites the Law and the consequences for either keeping or breaking it. He instructs us, then tests us, and holds us responsible by carrying out natural and realistic consequences for our behavior. He doesn't wait until we've done something and then decide to punish us for it. He also doesn't change the rules to suit our preferences.