Spirituality 101: Righteousness Vs. Wickedness

Psalm 37:16 Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

In order to better understand the ways of the world and the people in it, you must first understand spirituality and accept that the energy and intentions you put out to the world ultimately come back to you. Whether you realize it or not, there is an unseen world surrounding you and I. And if you learn and respect the rules of this world which you already live in, doors will open and opportunities that you may currently believe are beyond your reach will be revealed to you and become tangible. I began to grasp this concept when I was at the lowest point of my life after what can only be described as a series of supernatural experiences, and my applying this knowledge to my daily interactions while simultaneously making plans for the future has been instrumental in my mental and spiritual growth.

“Isaac Newton asserted, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. While Newton was speaking of the physical realm, this concept also applies to the spiritual world. Many of the decisions you make on a daily basis may seem insignificant, but those decisions are actually laying the foundation for your future and will inevitably be reciprocated in some form or another.”

In his widely known and often quoted third law of motion, Isaac Newton asserted, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. While Newton was speaking of the physical realm, this concept also applies to the spiritual world. Many of the decisions you make on a daily basis may seem insignificant, but those decisions lay the foundation for your future and will eventually be reciprocated in some form or another. Your actions and intentions create the life that you prove to yourself, the people around you, and your Creator that you deserve. In other words, your heart’s desire for others are eventually manifested in your own life. It takes fine tuning of your spiritual senses to recognize this, but once you begin to see it, you will be forever changed.

Righteousness Vs. Wickedness

Though these two concepts are not always referred to by the same monikers, righteousness and wickedness are central themes in nearly all religions. This simple breaking down of right and wrong serves as a litmus test for virtually every position that I take as it helps me to stay out of trouble and to keep my moral compass calibrated. My desire to steer clear of negativity and and an unpleasant existence also assists me in forming objective opinions about the trajectory of the lives of many with whom I interact or could possibly build with. Once you develop an understanding of these universal laws and apply them, you too will make better sense of many people’s thoughts and actions. You’ll begin to finely tune your moral compass. Whether you realize or not, leading a righteous life will bring you peace, prosperity, and mental clarity. Wickedness, on the other hand, invites self-destruction, confusion, and a reprobate mind. If you’re not already en route to your dream life, just a few tweaks in your thinking and behaviors could start you on the path to the blessed existence that you deserve. I’m sure of this!

Wickedness

wicked: evil or morally bad in principle or practice; sinful; iniquitous

Have you ever heard the phrase, “there’s no rest for the wicked?” Well, there’s much truth in that. A wicked minded person is one who has very little peace within their own existence; many actions and interactions create internal turmoil. Rather than allowing life to unfold and working hard to make the best out of what’s been given, the wicked person is compelled to control everything and everyone due to their peace(or the illusion thereof) coming from external sources rather than from within. There’s nothing wrong with ambition, but the wicked will often do anything and hurt anyone to accomplish the goals that they have in mind. At the heart of all hatred, divisiveness, greed, selfishness, inability to acknowledge fault, cruelty, and preoccupation with power is wickedness. Wicked people, including those who errantly think they are doing the right things, have corrupted the world since the beginning of time and continue to do so today. Learn to recognize the ways of the wicked and guard yourself from them, and your quality of life will elevate exponentially.

Righteousness

righteous: morally right or justifiable; virtuous

To effectively lead a righteous life, all that is required of you is to do what is right by everyone all the time, even when no one is looking. While this may sound like a relatively effortless task, many people fall short due to their biases, the influences of wicked people in and around their lives, greed, desperation, and false teachings that have led them to believe that periodically showing up to a place of worship or claiming a certain religion exalts them above others thus giving them the right to treat those they interact with or disagree with however they choose. The world is filled with opportunities for you to get off the path that will lead you to peace of mind and true happiness, so it is imperative that you always make a conscious effort to do what you know or at least feel is right so that you are not led astray. On top of that, never be too proud or afraid to turn back or start over once you realized that you’ve made a wrong turn somewhere in your past.

Anyone can claim to be a decent or righteous person, but I encourage you to judge trees by the fruit that they bear. Recognize a righteous person or one who is in the pursuit of righteousness by the kindness, empathy, willingness to compromise, and fairness that should come from them daily. It is also vital that you realize that your idea of what’s right will evolve as you walk your path and grow in understanding and wisdom. You may often need to remind yourself of this as you see others making decisions that you might not make. If their intentions are good, sometimes you may have to step back and allow those in your life to grow where they are. We were all once infants in our understanding of some thing or another, so as you grow spiritually, be patient with those who are not yet where you are in your walk.

The serenity prayer, though it often falls on deaf ears, perfectly describes the peace of mind (serenity) that the righteous should pursue:

God Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Once you learn to differentiate between the circumstances that you can change and those that are beyond your control, you will be on the path to peace. But once you can discern between the situations that are meant for you to act upon and those which are not for you to stress over, you’ll be on the righteous path.

Consequences of wickedness

Many people go through their entire lives never waking up to their ways nor the negative intentions of those around them, and they unfortunately spend all their days spiritually lost and in pursuit of the peace and happiness that they never learned was always within their reach. Some folks search high and low and turn over every stone in search of something that will fill the hole in their heart, but it’s impossible to fill an internal void with an external solution. The peace that they all seek is already on the inside and on the righteous path. Once your eyes are opened to the universal truths described here, you will be able to recognize the “bad luck”, lack of mental clarity, conflict, and misery that the wicked invite into their lives and bring onto themselves is often their own doing.

“Some folks search high and low and turn over every stone in search of something that will fill the hole in their heart, but it’s impossible to fill an internal void with an external solution. The peace that they all seek is already on the inside and on the righteous path.”

For example, think of the meanest and most selfish person that you personally know. Now, in your mind, take away all their material possessions, their social circles, and the impressions that said person tries to make on you and others. Do you believe that person is truly happy and at peace? I can say with certainty that they are not, because their wickedness keeps them in a rut and void of contentment. Even when people like this accomplish something that would make others happy, it seems that they have to keep going and pursuing the next conquest. The reason for this?… As  I stated earlier, it’s impossible to fill an internal void with an external solution.

Why lead a righteous life?

You may or may not be spiritually aware at this point in your walk, but I can assure you that you are a spirit being. Your body is merely a vessel: a temporary shell to house something that could potentially be eternal (your soul). Your soul wants to be happy, wants to make sense of things that you may not understand, and wants to uncover the hidden spiritual truths that many others seek. For your soul and your sanity’s sake, it is crucial that realize that you reap what you sow. It is not realistic to sow seeds of cruelty and selfishness while expecting to reap a harvest of love and prosperity. If an honorable and respectable life is something you desire, it is in your best interest to live by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. On top of the blessed life that you will create for yourself, walking the righteous path allows you to live your days with a clear conscience. When you are making a sincere effort to do right by everyone, you have nothing to hide. And most importantly, you will have a desirable standing with your Creator.

“It is not realistic to sow seeds of cruelty and selfishness while expecting to reap a harvest of love and prosperity. If an honorable and respectable life is something you desire, it is in your best interest to live by the Golden Rule.”

The concepts of wickedness and righteousness are central themes in most religions, and for good reason. Put in the conscious effort to change your thinking and to grow spiritually so that you can constantly evolve while guarding yourself from those who have no intention of becoming better people. And as you grow and get to know yourself and God better, be a steward to the needs of others. You may see me as polished today, but this is only the case because I do not look like the things that I went through to get to this point. I genuinely hope that one day you too will be able to look back and realize how much you have grown spiritually. Be blessed, and be a blessing to others. Take care.