Random Acts of Righteousness

Deuteronomy 24:12-13 (New International Version)
12 If the man is poor, do not go to sleep with his pledge in your possession. 13 Return his cloak to him by sunset so that he may sleep in it. Then he will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God.

The book of Deuteronomy is full of instructions for living life with compassion and justice. I was intrigued and interested, when I read in verse 13 of chapter 24, about a thing called--"A righteous act."

It sounded like something special--something to aspire to doing--"righteous acts." I wanted to understand better what they would be.

From the context it seemed to mean an act of generosity, compassion and humanity. The fact that God "regards it," means that he takes note.

I thought of a woman--unnamed--in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. She did something that Jesus described as "a beautiful thing." What she did--an extravagant gesture of adoration and love--pouring costly perfume over the head of Jesus--was such that Jesus said it would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached (see Mark 14:3-9).

Anne Herbert coined the phrase,"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." According to Wikipedia, " The second week of February is Random Act of Kindness week."

I missed doing this consciously in the second week of February, but this week I want to try hard to be looking out for opportunities to practice being humane, kind, generous and loving to others, knowing that what we do to one another, we do to him.

Matthew 25:40 (New International Version)
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

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