Day in the Life: One Righteous Man

Earlier this year, a storm suddenly hit my part of the country, and it got me thinking about the impact of a man filled with the spirit of God, the power of a righteous life.

When many days pass and no wind is felt, we can forget the power of the wind. We might get used to speaking of the breeze. We say, “That’s a nice wee breeze there”… then one night a storm sweeps in. The trees shake. The house whistles. The lights cut out. And all the loose things are tossed down the road. The wind in all its mighty power has come. 

In the same way, I wonder if our society has forgotten the power of a righteous life. When was the last time the people of our community encountered a Christ-like man? Has the church become so nice and comfortable, and Christians so self-sufficient, that the influence of our lives has become like a mere breeze? 

 If the world has lost sight of real righteous men, then can I start by giving a vision of a righteous man's life?

Can I draw from scripture to describe the life and influence of one righteous man? 

This is the story of one man who has been saved by the Lord and has surrendered himself to the Holy Spirit. A man whose life is bearing the fruit of righteousness at every turn. 

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We first see him in the city, moving through the streets and shops, in the early evening. He is not in a rush to get to the end of his to-do list, but takes the time to notice folk that cross his path, ready to speak to his fellow man. For he values each life. He sees them as God sees them – made in God's image, sinners for whom Christ died.

He stops a moment to speak with a stranger who is having a bad day. Now he listens. His heart is moved by the other man's story. He longs for his highest good. And so he encourages the man, and with his words he challenges him to trust in God. We watch the encounter. Notice the posture changing. A downcast head begins to lift. 

Our friend moves on. 

He doesn't avoid the poor part of town. He sees a hungry man in the street. He feeds him. He sees a man shivering. He gives him his coat. 

He is on his way to visit a sick man he knows, and soon enters a house. Inside is a man, suffering in pain (we don’t know why) but we see the righteous man quietly take a seat beside the sufferer. He remains there for the length of an hour or so,  just to be there.

He slips out of the house and makes his way home.

On his way, a boy passes. He is fatherless. Vulnerable. The man takes notice. For approaching the boy from the other direction are men set on taking advantage of this naive youngster. They are evil men, schemers, criminals. But the child has no father. He has no one looking out for his cause, who will ensure he is treated with justice. Will this be another sad story? Another poor boy who ends up in the wrong crowd? Or worse?

We might avoid such a risky situation. Not the righteous man. He steps to his aid. He stands strong between the hunters and the prey, and protects the vulnerable lad. “Away on, men, this boy’s with me”. He is no softie. He is a good man. And good men protect the weak. He leads the boy to safety.

Moving on through the city, his eye is always looking out for the needy, especially those with no friends or family to help: widows, strangers, orphans, the poor. And wherever he can, he moves to do them good. He serves them quietly. No one would know, except that we are watching his way. This man has no other motive than to do good because his Lord is good.

The goodness of this one righteous man is like the first drop of rain on water – see the ripples of his kindness? As the days pass, how many lives are helped? How many homes blessed by this one stranger?

This is no out-of-touch life. It is a life that powerfully touches many. The love of God flows from this man’s life in service to others. How forgotten is its power in our selfish generation.

The next day we come across this righteous man again. This time, we hear his words. We follow him through his day, as he speaks to neighbours, delivery men, cashiers, and strangers in the street. He speaks with all manner of men: the rich and poor, the high and the low, the young and old. 

We’re struck by his words, as others are. Unlike the foolish, he weighs his words and means what he says. He speaks not to please men or impress them, but to do them good. His words are true, kind, encouraging, cheerful, hopeful, honest, serious, helpful. He speaks not from a head filled with philosophy and opinions, but from a heart that meditates on the word of God. He is ready to share the gospel, trusting God to open doors and lead him to seeking sinners. 

He speaks with unusual courage, too, not fearing the consequences of speaking truth. He looks like a man who would rather die than speak falsehood. The reason: he fears God, not men. A few people at the bus stop looked pretty offended at what he had to say about pride. 

Months pass by. His reputation has grown (for people are noticing this man of rare words and deeds). New tests and temptations enter his day. Some people want to take advantage of his goodness. Some want to trip up this strange man.

But he endures. He understands the limitations of his flesh and he is constantly cast upon God for help. We watch as he rises early with the sun. He finds himself a quiet place, gets down on his knees, and communes with his God – reading the scripture and praying. In the secret place he worships his God and surrenders each day to the Lord who gave him life. Daily his soul is revived and mind renewed, so that he is ready to step out into the world again, ready to flee from the many seducers who hold out the prospect of money, sex or power.

At the close of the day, he thanks God for keeping his soul and he cries out for help for the day ahead.

A man who has helped so many, could feel he is owed a pay-day. But, this one righteous man continues to plod faithfully, not making money from his growing influence and good reputation, but working with his own hands. 

We watch him at his work. He is productive. Fruitful. He does good work and tries to leave things better than he found them. His colleagues and customers trust him. His toil is not for his own good or glory. He works to serve others, to provide for those in his family, and to give generously to others. 

His work is ordinary, yet he does his work in an extraordinary way. We see him in an empty workshop. Yet he works with as much diligence as when the boss is watching. He never cuts corners, but works honestly, seriously, cheerfully … as if work was an act of worship to a heavenly Master. 

In his free time, we find him not entertaining himself. He has lost interest in what other men are consumed by. One evening, he spends time with his wife, enjoying her company, cherishing her, listening to her. Another night he takes a walk with an old friend. Sometimes we see him praying out loud as he walks by the river. Perhaps most of all, he enjoys the fellowship of the believers he has found in the city. He meets with them often, to pray together, to learn from scripture, and to worship. 

He spends time with them individually, moving from house to house. He helps them and prays for them where he can. Sometimes he wants to sing with them, sometimes he weeps with them. Among them, he is a peacemaker, an encourager, a man devoted to building up the church. As we watch, it is very evident that he loves them – this strange collection of souls who bear the name of Christ. 

Throughout the day, we catch glimpses of his life at home. He plays with his children in the garden, a little girl on his back, playing horsey. Laughter and love seem to overflow the hedges. Yet it is a home in order. He sends a boy to his room for being cruel, and hugs him when he returns, repentant. Through the window we see him at the head of a simple kitchen table, listening to the stories of the day, holding his wife’s hand. A little later, he leads his family in prayer, worshipping and thanking God. A Bible is open on the table beside him. 

As the sun sets, a neighbour knocks on his door. He has just received bad news and has come to the only man he trusts. “Come on in,” says our friend. His heart and home are open to all. 

Though he cares not to be remembered, this man is unforgettable. Through his yielded life, God blesses a marriage, a family, a community, a city, a church.

I have shared but glimpses and moments from the life of one righteous man. We have not thought of days of sorrow and loss, or days of crisis and decision.

But when you start to think about it, there really is no end to the kinds of ways in which righteousness can mark a life.

Let us therefore learn more and more about the righteousness of God. Let us love it and follow after it with a spiritual hunger. And may the fruit of righteousness fill each day we get to live.

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Notes:

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I’ve drawn descriptions of the righteous life from a number of key passages and characters including, Job (Job 29), Christ (Mark 1), the early Christians (Acts 2-5), Paul (Acts 20), Ephesians 4-6, Proverbs 1-9, Isaiah 58, Psalm 1.