Think of righteousness as living inside of, instead of up to, God’s standard for the right life. The welfare of you, your community, and your relationship with God are central to living righteousness.

I thought that righteous people were the types that liked rules for the sake of rules. But really, righteous people love things like people, relationship, happiness, connection, holistic prosperity, and community.

The list of what righteousness does is a list of things that most people would want: it delivers from death (see Proverbs 11:4); gives life (see Proverbs 12:28); exalts a nation (see Proverbs 14:34); establishes the king’s throne (see Proverbs 16:12); and brings blessings (see Psalm 106:3), rewards (see Proverbs 11:18), and peace (see Isaiah 32:17).

Righteous people fulfill God’s commands and work for the wholeness and justice of their community.

God wants us to live in the world the way He designed it to be enjoyed. His design has boundaries, yes, but living within these boundaries does not constrict our freedom; it expands it.

Happiness is a mark of the righteous- not frustration, boredom, or a judgmental attitude.