1 Timothy 6:11-12 (MSG)
11-12 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

Matthew 20:25-28 (ESV)
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Righteousness is a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. It’s not being a milquetoast though. We’re to run hard and fast in the faith, to be first by being last, to serve and honor everyone around us – those we love and those who we don’t even know – seizing eternal life, a life we’re called to, a life we’ve so fervently embraced (maybe you have, maybe you haven’t – yet).

Righteousness is not being pucker butted about how great you are for all the “stuff” you do.

We are called to serve out of love. I can’t help but wonder what the world would be like if we spent $4.50 on the Salvation Army kettle and 35¢ on coffee, not the other way around. I can’t help but wonder what the world would be like if we raised our children like we’re supposed to instead of letting videogames and TV raise them because we’re to busy. I can’t help but wonder if we lived a life focused on others instead of ourselves.

I can’t help to wonder what the world would be like – starting in our home and stretching all the way around the world – if we loved others first.

Run hard to the end. Run to win. Serve to win it all for all of us.