Tag: Refuge

Righteous, In The Heart

Righteous actions are seen on the outside and displayed for the world to see. By seeing the righteous actions follow it as the example of what right looks like. Yet, there is more to it than just the outward visible actions of being righteous.

“10Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in him!

Let all the upright in heart exult!”

— Psalm 64:10 (ESV)

Being righteous starts in the heart. Righteous actions are the outward display of being upright in the heart. Being righteous is taking action based on the will of the LORD and not for or expecting anything in return. There is nothing from the world that will make the actions worth while. The worth while comes from the LORD and rejoicing in His greatness.

This weekend I am helping my son move across town. Yes, he is my son and it is my duty to provide for him and his brother, yet this is his life and his move. I have no stake in where he lives and have no say either. I will labor with and for him as an act of love and service. And, I expect nothing in return for my actions. I know what you may be thinking, how is helping someone move a righteous action. Well it may not be, but it is an example of service and actions that come from the heart where the world has no ability to make it worth while.

We have to take on more righteous actions that come from the heart and expect nothing in return from the world. The reality it that the would will be suspicious of our actions no matter what actions we take on that do not fit the glorification of the world view. And that is okay by me, as I am not here to please the world, I am here to please the LORD.

Chapter 64 in Psalms is titled “Hide Me from the Wicked” in my English Standard Version (ESV) bible. And verse ten above is the last verse in the chapter. We should be asking the LORD to “hide” us from the wickedness in the world, and look for shelter “in him”. We have to take on righteous actions, but ensure that they are coming from the heart where we are lifting up the LORD with each of them.

Where are your actions coming from? Are you bringing them to the world from a place of self-aggrandizement and looking for something in return? What if you looked inward to your heart and brought forth actions to exult the LORD, since He has hidden you in Him?

Righteous Through Refuge in the LORD

“39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.”

— Psalm 37:39-40 (ESV)

The righteous are not righteous because they do righteous actions. They are righteous “because the take refuge in him”, the LORD.

Bad actors do things that seem righteous. Think of the tyrant that gives to charity. Or the billionaire that stops on the street to lift up a vagrant. And think of the authoritarian that shows up at the plant owned for a visit and gives everyone a company t-shirt. Are these to be considered righteous. I say no, as when they occur once, they are the anomaly and serve more as ego photo ops as opposed to righteous actions done out of love. Don’t get me wrong, I do not take away from the actions and the impact they have, I only take issue with the thought that these actions are somehow righteous.

It is the righteous actions that come from the heart and in response to the will of God that He sees, hears, delivers, and saves. The actions themselves are good in the moment and will impact in that moment. It is the response to the will of the LORD that really does the work. The righteous do not take action for themselves, they take action for the LORD. It is the dwelling place of the LORD in the heart of the individual that leads to the righteous action.

The righteous focus their attention on the LORD and seek His guidance into where to focus energy for His glory. His glory will likely come at sacrifice to the individual, yet that sacrifice is not even noticed as the righteous see only the work for the LORD and not on themselves.

Bad actors are more concerned with their own “appearance” and lose sight of the glory of the LORD. The righteous find refuge in the LORD and are not concerned with how things look to the outside world. This is where the LORD takes up delivering the righteous from the world and provides the safety and security of His glory.

From where are your actions coming? Are they coming from you desire to be viewed in some way? What if you were to find your actions in the glory of the LORD as you dwell with Him?