21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last quadrans.
Matthew 5:21-26
Jesus sets the righteousness bar to where…
No one can achieve it on their own.
Everyone can achieve it through Jesus.
You Have Heard It Said…
Jesus does speak with sarcasm.
In fact, if we read his repeated words, “You have heard it said,” literally, we will think that he is speaking against the Old Testament Law. But he just told us he will not get rid of the Law, he will complete the Law.
Jesus sarcastically spoke out against the religious leaders who added invalid interpretations to the Law. As long as their outward righteousness looked good, they were good. But Jesus told them their heart righteousness is what matters.
Heart righteousness is the righteousness of God.
The Well Off refuse to play a religious game. They seek a greater righteousness. A righteousness of the heart. A righteousness they could never claim as their own. God’s righteousness that completely changes how they interact with the world around them.
Murder of the Heart
Outward righteousness is only concerned with literal murder. “I haven’t actually stabbed anyone,” we sooth ourselves, “so I’m still good with God.”
All the while, we devalue others every chance we get. Maybe we only devalue them in our heart. But it is still devaluing.
Jesus throw everyone under the bus.
No one can live up to the standard Jesus set. Everyone has committed character assassination. No one is excluded. I’m not. You’re not. Our neighbors are not excluded. One look at your Nextdoor app proves this.
Jesus leaves us longing for a heart righteousness we cannot give to ourselves. A life lived according to the Values Jesus set up in the beatitudes will refuse to live a life of murder in their heart.
Heart Righteousness
With God’s heart righteousness we will…
- Devalue others less, even in our heart.
- Seek reconciliation, even when we offend.
- Seek reconciliation, even when it costs you.
Notice the step up in intensity?
Devaluing Others In Our Heart
Jesus starts with us not devaluing others, even in our heart. This level of righteousness, isn’t about “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Rather, this level of righteousness is, “You won’t have anything but nice to say because your heart has nothing but nice in it towards others.”
Jesus isn’t saying, “Never have a tough conversation with someone about their actions or what their actions did to you.” Jesus is saying, “Those with the heart righteousness of God won’t have devaluing conversations about other people because their heart doesn’t devalue other people.”
This level is intense enough, but we have two more levels to go.
Seek Reconciliation Even When We Think They Should Initiate
Heart righteousness will seek out reconciliation, even when we offend someone and we think, “If they want my forgiveness, they can come to me.”
Not only did Jesus tell us heart righteousness will seek out reconciliation, but we will do so when our “gift is at the altar.” In his day, this meant they traveled a great distance and spent a lot of expenses to get their sacrifice to the altar. This wasn’t “I went to church and texted them.” This was, “I took another week out of my life to set things right, even when I didn’t think I needed to.”
Seek Reconciliation Even When It Costs You
Heart righteousness will seek our reconciliation, even when it costs you.
The more we dig in and don’t reconcile, the more is costs us in the long run. So Jesus teaches us heart righteousness will simply reconcile early. Doesn’t matter if it costs you. Doesn’t matter if you’re wrongfully accused (Jesus just says accused in the passage, he doesn’t say who is right).
As God’s righteousness takes over our heart, we will seek reconciliation, no matter what the cost is to us. Because we find it is better to move forward reconciled than it is to have the weight of judgement or retribution hanging over our heads.
Oh. This is tough. It’s not easy to read or type. We see the benefit of The Well Off life for other people. But when it comes to our own lives, we want to have reconciliation on our terms. Just because we are religious does not exempt us from struggling with murder in our heart.
The religious leaders are Jesus’ main target in the Sermon on the Mount. They utilize their religion to devalue and not reconcile.
Instead, The Well Off life realizes there’s more at stake than if we literally murder someone. In the middle of a world determined to devalue and reconcile on their own terms, a life lived with God’s heart righteousness is Salt and Light to the world watching us. We will preserve life. We will transform communities.
Don’t hide behind religious games or religious positions. Let the heart righteousness of God transform you into someone who would rather pay to reconcile than let conflict continue.
Prayer: God, let your heart righteousness transform my heart into someone who will value others and value reconciliation.
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