It’s been spring for a while.  As has become my habit, I wax my truck three or four layers deep.  It produces a beautiful shine.  It is noticeable from a long distance off.

As I drive down the road, I am prone to notice the cars that are not waxed.  I even pass the time by guessing which one is clean and which one is waxed.  I confess there is not a lot of difference between a clean car and one that is waxed with a single coat.  But let someone apply two or three coats of wax and there is a startling difference.

Now the question here is: do I notice these things because I wax my truck, or do I notice these things because they are apparent?  I suspect it is a measure of both.  In the one, I am looking.  In the other, it is obvious.

Who can help but notice the sun shining off an object in front of them?  A fully unexpected place to find the Sun .  But when someone notices they remember the look of their own.  And they take mental note that this is something they would like to do also.

Isn’t the same thing true with righteousness in Christ?  Someone gets their act together by worshipping the living God in Christ Jesus.  As they live their life, the righteousness of Christ shines through them.  A fully unexpected place to find the living God.

They live their days looking at others to see if they have appropriated the righteousness of God.  It becomes almost a hobby.

They see some forms of righteousness that are produced by diligence in the world.  And they are given reason to ponder if this is righteousness of God or just righteousness of the world.  But let a man spend immense time with the Lord Jesus and there is a distinct glowing difference.

And just like the waxed car, others take a mental note and say, “I would like to do that to my own.”  As they see enough of the righteousness of God, the mental note becomes important enough to accomplish. 

They may even approach others to ask how.  That’s how I learned how to wax my truck like I do.  That’s how I learned about the righteousness of Christ.  That is why it is important to let the glory of God’s righteousness shine in our lives.