by Danielle Zinn

Created on: March 23, 2010

The man walked towards Socrates, who was down by the river. As he approached he asked Socrates to teach him wisdom. Socrates walked in the water, and as the man followed him in, Socrates asked, “What is it you want?” The man replied, “Wisdom.” Socrates proceeded to dunk him underwater and held the man there until he struggled less. Socrates again asked, “What is it you want?” “Wisdom,” the man replied. Again, Socrates put him underwater until his struggling lessened. “What is it you want?” “Wisdom,” said the man. Once more Socrates dunked him under. When he pulled him up, he asked a fourth time, “What is it you want?” The man yelled, “Air! I want air!” Satisfied with his answer, Socrates let him go and said, “Until you long for wisdom the way you longed for air, you will never receive it.”

It is in the same way that we need to long for righteousness. In fact, in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters five through seven we are called to hunger and thirst for righteousness. So what is righteousness and what does it look like to long for it? Righteousness can be defined as something that is: blameless, honorable, genuine, innocent, virtuous, honest, fair, and right. Matthew 5: 6 blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness with satisfaction for their souls. Longing for righteousness isn’t about following the letter of the law nor is it about boasting in oneself as the law is carried out in their lives. Jesus reminds us that living a righteous life is about our intentions, motives and what goes on inside out hearts.

Righteous living stems up from spending time learning about God and enjoying Him. I recently heard a pastor speaking about the importance of longing for Christ, as did David in the desert. David didn’t long for water, food, or companionship, but sought for God alone. One guy listening to the sermon commented on how, if we as followers of Jesus, lack a thirst for Him (a thirst for righteous living), then maybe we have become okay with the ‘water’ we get from the world around us. Maybe we are so wrapped up among other Christians that we forget that the whole point of absorbing Christ is to spread His love all around. Like David, who even after he found God, and water at an oasis in the wilderness, we need to seek God and keep going back to Him when we get weary in this world.

Jesus also tells us how righteous living is a secret life. It is not one to be proclaimed by trumpets or shouts of praise, but God does see what we do and will reward us in heaven. This secret life goes back to the truth that we need to draw back into the presence of God and learn to depend on Him alone. Jesus doesn’t say righteous living is an easy, carefree, please everyone sort of life. In fact, assuming we live how Christ calls us to, Jesus says, ‘when’ not ‘if’ people insult you, and persecute you – it is then you rejoice.

As we strive to live with this hunger and thirst for righteousness, and with this secret life of righteousness, we will be changed from the inside out. When we live like this, people will be able to see and we can point them to Jesus—which is why we live in the first place. Therefore, may we strive ever harder to live as Jesus called us to in this day and age and may God use us to change the world.

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