God’s Righteousness and Doing What’s Right
Bible Verse
Be fair to the poor and to orphans. Defend the helpless and everyone in need. (CEV) Psalm 82:3
Throughout the Bible, people have given many names to God. Sometimes, they were given in response to something God had done; other times, they were to describe who he is. Sometimes, God describes himself with his own name. In this parent blog series, we’ll discuss four names of God ( I AM WHO I AM, The Lord is Peace, The Righteous God, and Father of Compassion), think about how each name describes God, and how that name helps us understand the attributes that we should also aspire to have.
“And the winner is…” This is a trendy phrase that many people recognize. Whether it's the Academy Awards, sports recognition, a game show, or a school raffle, having our name called brings a sense of joy when it happens. There is nothing wrong with any of these things. However, we want to teach our children that having their “name in lights” isn't the ultimate goal. Our goal is to reflect the righteousness of God. It can be difficult for kids to understand the meaning of righteousness, especially when everyone today seems to have their own definition of what is right. However, we are responsible to God and our children to teach true righteousness, which is only found in God.
How do we get our children to understand that doing what's right is not about recognition but reflecting God in their everyday lives?
Learn about righteousness. The best way to define righteousness is to go to the source. Isaiah 45:21 declares that the Lord is the righteous God. Scripture provides the best way for our children to know if they are doing what's right in the sight of God. Because God is righteous, he wants his followers to be as well. Check out and read Deuteronomy 6:25, Psalm 145:1-17, and Psalm 11:7 together.
Model righteousness. Children learn what they see. When we model doing the right thing in front of them, those lessons stick faster and stronger than most conversations. As you go about daily life, find teachable moments to model and explain living out God's righteousness. Maybe it's giving a meal to the person in need. It could be helping an older adult carry groceries to their car. When these events happen, emphasize that we help others to honor God and not for a reward.
Recognize righteous acts. When your children make decisions to do the right thing, acknowledge it. Point out how what they did was a reflection of God's righteousness. By doing so, we help our children understand what the righteousness of God looks like in day-to-day life. Often, children do the right thing without even realizing it.
When we take time to point out their godly actions, they will realize living a righteous life is not unattainable. Another way is to ask them about their day. We are not with our children 24 hours per day. There may be things that happen during their school day or at an extracurricular activity we are unaware of. Foster conversations and reflect together on their actions. It’s a great way to help our children know that they are living a life that is pleasing to God.
Want to dig deeper? Check out this article from Family Fire, Parenting with Faith: The Legacy of Discipleship.
Natasha Menifee
Natasha Menifee is an educator, writer and most importantly a child of God. She has taught in public schools for 12 years and holds two master's degrees from Georgetown College in Learning & Behavior Disorders and Teacher Leadership. Natasha also serves as the Christian Education Director at her church. She is the proud mother of two daughters. For more information about her, visit www.natashamenifee.com.
