Our living will be accepted as ‘Righteous,’ if we maintain a right relationship with God, with self, with family members, with the society and with the environment.
Why God is first, and not Self?
Because, if God did not create me, would I be existing to have a relationship with anyone, including myself? So, we can, readily and rationally accept Jesus ‘Teachings: –
1) “Love your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength- – – ‘ and( Mt. 22: 34 to 40)
2) “Whoever love’s his/ her, father, mother, son, daughter, and the self-more than me is not worthy of me”
Sometimes, don’t we hear the statement, ‘when we love others, we love God’? Is not this statement misleading? When we love others, we comply with the 2nd most important Command. If both are one, why should Jesus give them separately?
Jesus said, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.(John.14:15). Love has two parts. The emotional (personal intimacy) and the practical. Observing his commandments is the practical aspect. Proof from the Bible for both aspects was given in the previous articles. For the first part, one quote from the O.T (Psalm) is, “I take delight in my people”. To be HIS people, we ought to obey His Commandments and Teachings, from the least to the greatest.(Mt.5.17 to 20)
With reference to the other Relationships, Jesus’ teaching “Do unto others, what you want them do to you”, can be a yardstick. For example, let us take the relationship between husband and wife. The husband must think, ‘if I were in her place, what would I expect from my husband in this situation or in this matter which is under dispute?. Let the husband try his best and oblige his wife. The wife’s thoughts should be similar. In all types of other family relationships, (ex: parents and children) if this teaching is practiced, don’t you think peace and justice will prevail? Is this not part of practicing righteous living?
One of the essential virtues required is, meekness and gentleness. We are aware of Jesus’ statement “Learn from me, I am meek and gentle of heart”
Constant appeal to God for His grace to joyfully observe all His teachings is also a must.
Conclusion
When a person’s relationship with God is first and foremost, other relationships will fall in place.
Marceline Rebello.