True Righteousness (KB)

A righteous person is not someone who becomes pure and then can lecture and give himself to the people. Rather, a righteous person is someone who would, perhaps, stop in the street to help someone who is hurting—even though, let’s say, this will make him or her late for an important meeting. A righteous person, in other words, is someone who sees what he or she can do for someone else, and does it, even if it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. There’s a story about a man who wants desperately to find God. I mean, he really, really desires to connect with his Creator. So what does he do? He fasts for a few days, then climbs a mountain to meditate. Finally, exhausted, he gets to a place where he can rest and there he continues his fervent prayers. Nada: no response from God. At last, exasperated, the man cries out, “God! God! Where are you?” And God says, “You went the wrong way, buddy! I’m down here, with the people! Indeed, a righteous person is someone who is involved in caring about people. Not someone, to be sure, who goes around telling people what to do, but rather, someone who understands that in and of him or herself alone, he or she is nothing but a vehicle, a messenger to bring Light to others in the world.