Die another day

“The righteous falls seven times and rises again”
Proverbs 24:16
Am I righteous?
If I fall but once or twice and fail to get up there may be a problem with my conception of righteousness. The righteous follow an ideal, and from a human point of view, it is the ideal that gives them perseverance to get up after taking a hit - or even seven hits.
Suicide is rampant. Why is that?
It may not be fair to present an answer that paints the crisis level of emotion and despair or chronic unbearable pain that drives the suicidal in brush strokes of black and white. That is not my intent. What is fully my intent is to remind us of the difference our view of who’s in charge makes, what is right and wrong, and where best to get those ideas.
Righteousness is universally the same for all of us, at least that is most likely Solomon’s belief. His worldview drives his notion of righteousness and the worldview of the nation of Israel at that time over which he reigned as king was one of specific law for right behavior as the people of God and general law that is the basis for accountability for all peoples. The righteous are those who not only are well behaved but are also inclined toward Jehovah as creator God before whom every knee eventually bows. Righteousness is the rule of life as revealed by God that saves our lives.
This was the philosophy of Jesus as evident in His words “Man shall…live…by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
Righteousness for every human was never to be self-derived. It is not, nor has it ever been, my truth as opposed to yours. Such knowledge greatly reduces the likelihood the choice to take my own life will be made lightly. To be so cavalier as to think I am the master of my own destiny or that what is right is what I feel is right to me is to set myself up for trouble.
It is especially disappointing to hear of fellow Christian believers succumbing to common notions of what is okay and what is not okay as guideline for life. Then to see them die at their own hand is disturbing and frankly frustrating. Why is it we are so stupid?
But I am the same
It would be arrogant of me (or anyone) to say I did it my way, or that up till now success has been entirely attributable to my own great fortitude. Everyone’s cheese threatens to slip off their cracker. If it is not stuck on with deep running currents of belief it just might. The right beliefs make the greater difference, and the believer learns that the grace of God is sufficient to sustain them when adherence to the ideal is weakened in grip.
“My grace ids sufficient for you.”
II Corinthains 12:9
The righteous get up a sufficient number of times though hit hard from any number of directions and by a variety of foes because their commitment to what is right is a greater force within them than the forces that prevail from without.
The righteous live to die another day
Grace today y’all