It's about having the heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness; hungers and thirsts to make other people's lives better. Now to fully understand this, we have to understand a Hebrew concept. That Hebrew concept is called Zekute. Let me read you a definition of zekute. This was a common word in their language. It says this: Zekute is kind and generous acts, that God notices we do, that are not done out of obligation or result of a command, but out of free will, in order to show the love of God to someone else. The rabbis taught that there was a way to know God, even if you've never seen a Torah; and that way was through Zekute. Where did they get that from? Jeremiah 22:16 - He took care of the poor and the afflicted. That's what it means to know Me, declares the Lord, your God.
So what they believed, is that if someone was practicing Zekute - they actually knew God; and God, who saw their heart, would be determined to reveal Himself to them. In the New Testament, can you think of anyone who was counted righteous by God, simply on their generosity to the poor? Of course you can - I can think of two; Cornelius; and Zacchaeus was the other one. Zacchaeus gets so moved with the compassion of Jesus, what does he do? Look Lord, here and now I'll give half of what I have to the poor. Jesus said: that's it, he gets it, salvation's coming to his house. He understands what we're talking about now. He understands the kingdom.
There was a guy named Cornelius - you can read his story in Acts 10. Cornelius was a Roman centurion. Now let me tell you what that meant. If you were a Roman centurion, who had to be Lord to you? Caesar. Cornelius had other Gods as well. If you guys know the story, he has this dream where Peter comes to him in his dream. He doesn't know who Peter is, he just has this dream that Peter comes to him. So one day Peter actually shows up, knocks on his door, and Cornelius opens the door and Peter's there! You guys know the story; what does Cornelius do? He bows down and worships Peter. Peter has to correct him: No man, get up, I'm just a man. Don't do that. Get up! So here's a guy, who had proclaimed Caesar as Lord, and he didn't know it wasn't right to add Peter to his list of Gods. Would you call him saved? Is he saved in any systematic theology book in the world? No way. No way, but he asks Peter: Peter why are you here? Peter says: because God chose you to pastor the first church. The first gentile church Cornelius, congratulations, it's going to be yours! People are going - I mean would you want him to be your pastor? He just got up off the floor bowing to another man. Cornelius asks what you're asking: Why me? This is what Peter says: Because God has counted you righteous, because your generosity to the poor has went up as a remembrance to Him. In other words, Cornelius showed a tzedakah spirit, and God was faithful to draw Cornelius to Himself. Why? Because that's what it means to know Him. It's so important, Zekute.
Let me show you this one more scripture, 2 Corinthians, Chapter 9. It's a famous offering scripture that people use all the time, but I want you to see something maybe a little different in it. 2 Corinthians 9 says this: But I say this - He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. Each one as he purposes in his heart, let him give not of grief nor of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that in everything, always having self-sufficiency. In other words, God wants to take your generosity, and make it to where you don't lack anything - self-sufficiency.
Now watch this: that you may abound to every good work. In other words, He wants to take your generosity, make you abound to self-sufficiency, so that more tzedakah can take place. As more tzedakah takes place, there's more self-sufficiency, which abounds to more tzedakah; which brings more tzedakah round which brings more self-sufficiency around, which brings more tzedakah around. It's an endless cycle. Watch the next verse. This is new testament ya'll - As it is written: He has scattered, he has given to the poor, therefore his righteousness remains forever. He scattered, he gave to the poor, his righteousness remains forever. Now he who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for the eater, may he supply and multiply your seed, and thereby increase the fruits of your righteousness. Do you see what he's saying? He's saying: when you give generously, it's called righteousness, and there's a fruit of righteousness called tzedakah. May God multiply your seed, so that the fruits of righteousness be increased.