Doing the right thing, even if it is obviously the right thing, is never a sure thing. People can throw ridicule you way in response. Others can try to stop whatever you are doing from working. Some will get angry.
I wish I could say that I had never done any of those things. I have. I wish I could say that my recent responses did not include any negative responses. They have. I wish I was always able to congratulate those standing up for what was right, taking the right action even when it hurt, or offering the right words in times of need. Candidly, most of the time I was, at best, silent.
We need individuals willing to do right things. I saw several patiently waiting in line to fill up at Costco. Even as I listened to stories of others losing her/his cool, I knew I was witnessing kindness in action. I watched individuals come to the rescue. It was easy to see that the timing was not convenient. I am sure the follow-up was going to be a hassle. They did not ask. They did not seem to worry about the negatives or the problems. They reached out and willingly helped a stranger in need.
I continue to hear stories, old ones and new, of those willing to take risks for what is right. I find myself filled with hope with each one. It is never easy or obvious. When someone felt God’s call to be a agent of healing, “he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, ‘Up on your feet!’ The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he'd been walking all his life.” (Acts 14.10) It seems hard to believe, but this was the right thing to do. When someone is struggling to come to terms with how life is unfolding, being present and available is often the right thing to do.
Today we will have opportunities to do the right thing. I am going take the chance, even if it is risky.
