Doing What is Right and Just

“The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.” Proverbs 21:3

Many years ago, I helped put together a fundraiser. We called the fundraiser, “Anything Goes.” Not everything was as it appeared. Let’s just say we put the “fun” in “fundraiser.” For example, for the main course, we baked individual meatloaves in cupcake tins and swirled pink mashed potatoes on top using a pastry bag. 

Outward appearance can be deceiving. The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had all the outward trappings of a life devoted to God, but their hearts were far from him. Jesus compared them to whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead man’s bones. They offered sacrifices to God but placed heavy burdens on their fellow man. 

Sacrifice had its place in worship, but it was never meant to take the place of doing what is right and just. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:3, “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” Doing what is right and just is what pleases God.