Righteousness’ Bad Wrap

If I were asked what true religion looks like, honestly, I might paraphrase half a scripture from James 1 about caring for orphans and widows.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress . . .”

“Right on!” many would say. As I took another look at James this morning I realized that this response is both half the scripture and half of James’ message.

He continues, “To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Sadly, a righteous life has gotten a bad wrap among many Christian circles. To guard yourself from spiritual pollution is to be ignorant, uncultured, and out of touch.

I pray that we all would value holiness more and more and that we might recognize that religion accepted by God is more than one dimensional.