“That Other Kind Of Righteousness” [Spanish Jerusalem Bible Series - Ephesians sub-series - #6:14]

Self-righteousness (the other kind) is hard to tolerate;
Folk “Wrap themselves in Vestments fair as they attempt to fake
A goodness they do not possess – term, “Hypocrite” is used
By those around, with great disdain for antics such folks choose.

Their face lights up when they are right, and other person’s wrong;
They gloat with great alacrity, fair break into a song;
Climb hills they are already on – to elevation get,
Though only thing that can they use is someone else’s neck.

Perhaps it happened as a kid, some put down by their mom;
Or maybe they got told by pop, they’d always be a bum;
Perhaps some bully down the block, or maybe peers at school,
Gave them the notion they’re no good, and never would be cool.

When people start to feel that way, they think they’ve got to prove
They’re just as good as other folks (sometimes they have to move –
They don’t, of course, another way is open for their life,
Called Kingdom-layer – on which to skate above all world the strife).

But churches think that term describes their fortress on the Hill –
A “Sanctuary” for such folks; and anybody will
Admit the church is full of them (hypocrisy is king),
But that is not what I refer to – Kingdom is the thing.

The Kingdom-layer takes care of both our need to be okay,
And also insecurity – there is a better way –
For it’s okay to human be, let cloak of righteousness
Be Christ’s, not ours – just put it on, and God does all the rest.

For on the Kingdom-layer we’re up above the swirl of pain;
Freed up to grow and be ourselves, so long as we remain
In Christ, wrapped in his righteousness, not needing to show off
How good we are, or put folks down, or at the others scoff.

When we step off that sheet of ice, rejoin the world where sin
Defines one’s normal life as rebels from the Lord, begin
To get caught up in useless ways we thought we’d left behind,
The way to freedom still remains, though to it we are blind.

You said we would not like a world where center is not God;
And You were right, it sucks, yet we stay here which does seem odd;
Help us to rise above all that, not by our righteousness –
But by Your grace in helping us within this shambled mess.

There is no way for us to be both here and there at once;
We want them both, but mostly world, though we’re proclaimed that dunce
Within the circles of the folks who laugh, and scoff, and scorn;
Help us let go of phoniness, come to new life, re-born.

You know how great is world’s allure – our wiring’s fashion there;
And those we love and care about our sold-out to its fare;
I’d like to turn all that around – die to this worldly life,
Inspiring others to come in to Kingdom’s warmth and light.

So help me, Lord, to live with You, and stop this looking back,
With wistful glances every day to world where folks attack
The righteousness we have put on – folks hate You just the same,
As on that day at Calvary – “King of the Jews” – they blame –

You for the mess we’ve made around here – “Religion causes wars;
And hatred, unlike how we live” (we’re hypocrites, of course);
Well, Lord, I cannot stop such talk, that’s not my problem here –
My problem’s living on the layer, and dumping inward fear.

“Stu, it’s okay, just press on in, it all works in the end;
You’re on the Kingdom-layer by grace, you need not con-descend,
That is “With them”, in dropping back into old ways of life –
‘Rise up, O man of God’, I say and live in Kingdom’s light.

“Photography’s the way I’ve given for you to live from here;
You are aware from long years back pic-taking melts the fear;
So take your camera once again, and look around the world
From Kingdom-layer’s vantage point – from up above the swirl.”

Thanks Lord for this.

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