“Sow to yourselves in righteousness…till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
The sweet returns of right things done in past years are some of life’s most pleasant experiences. A minister friend of mine often thanks me profusely today for kindness I showed to his father while I was a young evangelist. At the time, I was holding revival services for his aging father and chauffeured him to area hospitals, assisted him up and down stairs, and did other things to help him while I was there. It never occurred to me that I was doing anything heroic or worthy of praise. In fact, I wasn’t. I was only doing what seemed to me to be right. But, because of those simple things, I reaped a great friend in the son of this now deceased, elderly minister.
It’s a small example, but it illustrates a principle. When you do right things, you sow to yourself in righteousness. Deed by deed, word by word, you build a reputation that precedes you wherever you go. You reap consequences of your actions that far exceed the effort and investment of the original act! People see what you do and form opinions of your character. Look at these unexpected consequences:
- The implicit trust people give you.
- The troubles you avoid.
- The kindness you receive from unknown persons.
- A clear conscience.
- A positive attitude.
- A God-blessed life.
- The preservation of good health.
- A powerful influence upon others.
- A voice of authority.
These benefits often suddenly appear to you as a beautiful flower garden dazzles your eyes with color when you turn a corner; as a breath-taking scenic view comes into view around a bend in the road; or as a warm smile greets you in a strange place, assuring you that all is well. It’s like sitting down to a gourmet dinner and having someone come by a pick up the check. You often don’t know exactly what brought on the favor. It just pays to live right.
This does not minimize the grace of God in any way. It does remind us that righteousness, holiness, honesty, purity and obedience to God are more than fluff. They are the acts of God through yielded human vessels, and they generate important consequences. Righteous living not only stems from the word of God, it also edifies and strengthens our lives in everyday ways.
Never disdain righteous choices, holy living, honest accounting, or painful obedience. Whatever costs they demand from you, the blessings they bring far exceed the temporary inconveniences.