Scripture: James 3:18 – “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (NRSVue)
What does it mean to be righteous? It is not a word that I hear outside of religious settings. To be righteous is to do the right thing and to be the kind of person who is able to do the right thing. Like many religious ideas, righteousness is not considered to be a good thing these days. This is because righteousness has often been reduced not to doing the right thing or even being willing the right thing, but to thinking the right thing. So, when sermons teach about how the righteous shall inherit the earth, they mean not those who work for justice and mercy in their communities, but those who are members of the right church. Of course, most of these people are righteous, loving, and generous, but the world sees too many of them as hypocritical and hateful. Righteousness is clearly the opposite of such things; it is being loving and authentic in your love. This is harder than it seems, which is why righteousness is so valued in the Bible and beyond.
I was speaking with my mother yesterday and we talked about how to handle all the bad news in the world. The more you engage with social media and one-sided political discourse, the less trust you have and the angrier and more burnt out you become. For many people, the best thing to do is to disengage. It is to enjoy the other parts of life and to appreciate the blessings of home and family. It is to leave today’s troubles for another day. There is much peace and insight that can be found in such behavior.
But is it righteous? It is not an easy question, but I think the Letter of James points us in a good direction. While Paul was visiting the cities of towns of modern Turkey and Greece, the community around Jesus’ brother, James, was dealing with poverty and suffering in occupied Jerusalem. The solution found in the Letter is to do something about it. Feed the hungry. Stand up for the oppressed. But James also demonstrates that while zeal for justice is important, it cannot end there. To attempt to solve the problems of the world through the methods of the world, often springs from what it calls, “envy and selfish ambition,” and its fruits are “disorder and wickedness of every kind.” Alternatively, following the wisdom of God and the tradition of the Torah leads away from hypocrisy.
The key is beginning with peace. Righteousness springs not primarily from zeal, but from those who are at peace with themselves. Those who make peace and who show love without anger create systems that are based on these peaceful and holy principles. These are the roots from which spring the fruits of righteousness that endure.
It is a difficult task to balance zeal for justice with tranquil distance from the problems of the world. Too many people fall into the categories of extremism or resignation to the problems of the world. James teaches us to begin with peace to bring the fruits of justice. It is rightly said that there is no peace without justice, for that is just silencing the oppressed and ignoring the problems of the world. But I would argue that it is also true that there is no justice without peace, for justice born primarily from anger and resentment leads only to more anger and resentment in the future.
Before you read the news or engage with your social media feeds, pray. Find the peace and feel the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. Gain that perspective before you jump into the depths of fear and distrust. Become a righteous person through your peace. And maybe those who become righteous will help create a world that is worth inheriting.
Prayer: Lord, silence my fears that I may find peace and righteousness in my life. Amen.
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