‘A Joy To The Just’

‘A Joy To The Just’

It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Proverbs 21:15

There is satisfaction in doing the right thing.  This applies, as our text indicates, to a particular group of people whom the text describes as ‘the just.’  Theology, as the logical derivative of revelation, tells us that none of us are ‘just’ by nature. We are born ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’  Regeneration by the Holy Spirit, conversion, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit change us. We were, by nature, inclined to all sorts of evil.  Only the working of God causes us to be inclined to ‘do justly.’ When He has does this work, we begin to ‘joy’ to ‘do justice.’ Because of the work of God, we desire what we would never have desired without that work.  Now, we imitate Christ in doing justice. We learn by our contemplation of Him to imitate Him. As we imitate Christ in doing that which is right, we both grow to be like Him and experience satisfaction or ‘joy’ in that. This doing of justice becomes part of all of our actions and affects all of our relationships.  It touches our home, work, church and broader community. By this doing of ‘that which is good,’ we become ‘the salt of the earth,’ and ‘the light of the world.’ Only the Holy Spirit of God conforming us to the image of Christ can make us so, and give us joy in doing justice. Today, let us look to Christ to see where He will take us by His Spirit, that we may ‘do justice’ and find ‘joy’ in it.

Our most Holy God,
we rejoice that Christ is our True North.
We praise You that in seeing what He does,
we learn what we should do and find joy in the doing of it.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning