Breastplate of Righteousness

Day 2, The Armor of God

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

              When I think of the breastplate of righteousness I always think back to the Old Testament story of David and Goliath. David, a young person, unafraid and possibly overconfident at times (like most teenagers), arrived at the battle site with rations for his older brothers. He inquired about the standoff and heard about Goliath’s challenge. Young, filled with passion and a faith in God, he volunteered for the job.

              Saul couldn’t believe his ears. A young man not even of fighting age wanted to fight the massive giant, Goliath. He was signing a death warrant, but this guy was the only volunteer so far. He summoned David to his private quarters and fitted him with his person armor. Every piece was too big and hung from David like a kid wearing his daddy’s clothes. This is what I think about when I picture the breastplate of righteousness.

              King Saul was certain that David had to be protected when he stepped on the battlefield with Goliath. He knew what was right and best for David’s success. Or at least he thought he did.

But David trusted God for the victory. He politely took off the king’s armor and chose to go into battle in the way he considered to be right. Saul understood the ways of war according to man; but David had been in his own battles with wild animals, and he always had God on his side. He knew that if he trusted in God to do the fighting, the battle was already his. Even though he wore no physical armor into battle, I wholeheartedly believe he was wearing the breastplate of righteousness.

According to Vine’s Bible Dictionary, righteousness is the quality or character of being right. This is one of God’s greatest attributes and also a reason we are able to trust him in all situations. He is always right which leads us to the conclusion that he is always truthful, faithful, and consistent.

When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we are ultimately saying, “I am placing all my faith, trust, and hope in the rightness of Jesus. His rightness is my strength, protection, and armor. Man’s ways will not lead me in the way I should go, but his ways will never fail. With him, I can conquer any giant that comes my way.”

David walked out to meet Goliath with only five stones and a sling; but fully covered in the righteousness of God. We also walk into our battlefield each day with our lesson plan, coffee cup, assessments, laptop, and faith in God. We understand that the things of this world are the tools that help us defeat the giants of this world, but ultimately it is only God who can win the fight.

The first two pieces of armor are the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. These pieces of armor protect our heart and hold everything in place. Are we suiting up each morning with the armor of God? Or the weapons of the world?

Do the Heart Work

1.      What does the breastplate of righteousness mean to you?

2.      Do you trust the righteousness of God enough to go into battle with a giant? Explain.

3.      In what ways are you able to spot the rightness of God compared to the rightness of this world?

Digging Deeper

Read 1 Samuel 17:37-50 (NIV)

                  ^“The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 

Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David.  He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

When we trust in God, the God of righteousness, we can overcome the biggest enemies we have ever faced, just like David.

If You Get Spare Time 

What or who are your biggest enemies? Have you been facing giants with only your worldly arsenal? Maybe it’s time to suit up with the rightness, or righteousness, of God. Do you trust his ways more than your own? Why or why not?