From the beginning, God declared Job to be:

…a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil. (Job 1.8, NKJV)

What does that look like? Job gives us a little picture in Job 29:

When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me; Because…

• I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
• The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And
• I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
• I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
• My justice was like a robe and a turban.
• I was eyes to the blind, And
• I was feet to the lame.
• I was a father to the poor, And
• I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth. (Job 29.11 – 17, NKJV, bulleted for clarity)

What does righteousness look like?

• Eyes to the blind
• Feet to the lame
• Father to the poor
• Searching out injustice and defeating the wicked, saving the victim

I started reading The Men We Need by Brant Hansen, and its message is that men need to “protect the garden.” Look out for the marginalized.

In the Bible, God says he raises the poor from the dust. He doesn’t forget them. He defends the afflicted. He saves the children of the needy. He defends the weak. He favors the humble...If I’m going to be more like him, guess what I’m going to do? I’m going to raise the poor from the dust. I won’t forget them. I will defend the afflicted. I will save the children of the needy. I will defend the weak. I will favor the humble. – Page 31.

Sounds a lot like what Job was doing.

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2.15, NKJV)

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25.37 – 40, NKJV)