Living Righteously

Today we’re talking about living righteously.

Now, that word “righteous” can sound a little heavy or even intimidating, can’t it? Like something reserved for people who have it all together. But James 3:17–18 gives us a much more approachable picture.

It says, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Living righteously isn’t about perfection—it’s about direction. It’s choosing daily to let God’s wisdom guide us, to be gentle, merciful, and sincere. It’s about planting little seeds of peace that grow into something bigger. So today, let’s unpack what that kind of life looks like in everyday moments.

Respect is something big in our world, and it is no different in living righteously. We learn to respect others regardless of our differences because we have learned that God loves everyone, and because of that, we learn to give grace and also lovingly encourage others in their mistakes.

Showing respect through our words and actions is an outward showing of where our heart is and how we are living for God.

So, as things and people come and go in life, remember to always show the love of God by being respectful and giving grace.

Something else that is important when we are walking with Christ is accountability.

We think a new Christ follower needs accountability as they learn to leave their old selves behind, but that is no different for those who have been Christ followers for a long time.

We will always have something that we need to rid ourselves of.

This is where growth happens. So, be accountable to yourselves and also find someone who can help you with that accountability as well.

When we take the responsibility to be accountable, I think we are ready for real change and growth.

Something I have learned in facing hard conversations and decisions is that if I’m going to say something, I need to stick to it and I don't need to be worried or fearful especially if I feel God has moved me to have these conversations.

Like if you are going to say, “I’m going to do this and that because that’s what the Bible says,” that’s honorable, and we need to stick to it. We don't need to say it and then change our minds just because others have issue. If we have prayed about it - know what God says about it, then we should confidently stand on God's Word.

Be true to your word and what the Lord leads you to do.

We often pray for wisdom, understanding, and guidance. We know all of that comes from God. We also have peace in that list… but what about being gentle and yielding to others?

I don’t usually think of those when praying, but we should. We should actually be praying for God to help us to live out the fruits of the Spirit every day.

I’m talking to myself here as well.

In order to live righteously, we do need to lean on the Lord and ask Him to help us live out a life that is pleasing to Him and to be the light of the world to others.

James 3:17–18 says, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

We are made righteous in the eyes of God because of the blood of Jesus.

There are many ways to live righteously, and a few are to walk with integrity, in your work and deeds promote good, and always speak truth in love.

As we learn to live this way, it takes time. We are an imperfect people, and we will stumble, but as long as we let the Lord lead us and teach us to walk in these ways, we will grow and come to find that we are being changed.

We may find ourselves being more humble, speaking with kindness, and showing more compassion and understanding toward others. In this way we are being more like Jesus, carrying His character traits and in that we are living a Christ centered life full of integrity and love.

The Bible gives us instructions on living righteously. We have seen that in our main scripture of James 3:17–18, but there are many others like Psalm 15.

Living righteously is showing godliness in terms of a maturing character and taking on being like Christ.

We are made in God’s image, and we are transformed by Christ when we come to believe and follow Him.

This process of change is learning to live righteously so that others can see Christ in us and know that we are different.

So let me encourage you to read James 3 and Psalm 15 - see how you live in line with the word of God and make changes if need be and of course continue to strive toward growth with God.

James 3:17–18 says, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

To live righteously means to conduct one’s life according to what is considered morally and spiritually right or just, often in adherence to divine law and the teachings of one's faith.

We learn right and wrong when we are little, and the Bible teaches us what is spiritually right and just.

So, as we learn how to live righteously, turn to God and His Word and let it be our guide.

The Bible is a way that we can measure our character. God guides and helps us as we grow in our desire to remain faithful to Him and His Word.

Pursuing righteousness is something we do by studying the Word of God, as we spend intentional time with Him and draw closer to Him.

Our righteousness comes from God, and when we draw closer to Him, we can see and know that we adopt more of who He is and that our character is changing to be more like His.

Let’s walk our days out planting good seed, being humble, and compassionate. Ask God how you can live out His character better.

Let’s go through our days with this encouragement: living righteously isn’t unreachable—it’s practical. One choice, one conversation, one act of kindness at a time.

We will reap what we sow. And that harvest? That’s in God’s hands, and it’s always worth it.

Remember what James reminded us: righteousness is the harvest of peace. It’s not about striving to look perfect or checking off a list of “good things.” It’s about letting God’s wisdom shape the way we treat others and the way we carry ourselves.

When you choose to live with sincerity, gentleness, and mercy, you’re not just walking in righteousness—you’re planting seeds that impact everyone around you. And over time, those seeds grow into a harvest that shows the world who God is.