“Do-gooders, I am surrounded by do-gooders!” I barked slamming the receiver down. The call had been from one of the local churches ‘letting me know’ that they were taking up a collection for their charities and just knew I would want to contribute. I informed them that they might think they were doing a good thing but leave me out of it.
As I stared at the phone, I thought, “Why do people think they have the right to ask you to be part of their do-gooder campaigns, I don’t go to their church and I do not believe in their God. I am really tired of it all.
Lately, my partner was on me about attending his church with him. His big appeal to me was that ‘they do good works’. I had told him that I do all the good works that I need all by myself. After all I had just given money to St Jude’s and always supported things like the local food bank, at least once a year. I said, as I ushered him to the door, “You people just don’t get it. I don’t need God to do good things for others. I don’t need God at all.”
The facts were, our business was about to go in the tank and I really didn’t have time to be worrying about other people. If anyone needed charity right now it would be me. I grinned as I thought, “Yeah, what I need right now is a do-gooder campaign to help me out of this mess.” But I slumped back in my chair and filled my glass from the half-empty whiskey bottle on my desk. Nothing good was going to be happening to me any time soon.
Since I became a Christian I have often been greeted with, “God is good, all the time.” Which I learned to reply, “All the time, God is good.” But like with many saying that involve the word ‘good’ I let the meaning of it follow the same path as, “Life is good”, “All is well and good”, and my all-time favorite, “Have a good day”. On and on they go. I could fill today’s blog with just ‘good’ sayings. But that is just the thing, when it comes to God being good and His goodness, it is no longer just a saying, it is the truth and should take on a life changing meaning. In fact, when we understand what God’s goodness is as shown in Jesus Christ, we can also find where our own real good and goodness are found.
In one of my favorite Gospel stories Jesus tells us through an encounter with a rich young man how all of us can partake in God’s goodness. Maybe you know the story. A young man came to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to attain eternal life? And Jesus said to him “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:17-18) Jesus responds in this way not denying that He himself is good or is He angry that the he had been addressed as good. But to lead the young man to the true meaning of goodness and how he could attain it. Because right after this He says, “You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19) The young man is stoked, and he says, “Teacher, all of these I have kept from my youth.” (Mark 10:20) He is sure he has it made, he knows he has been good. But Jesus wants him to go to the next level where God’s goodness can be found, “And Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.’ Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21-22)
Does that mean we can only attain the goodness that comes from God if we give everything away and then follow Jesus? No but is does mean if we think we can ‘be good’ by just living a good life we are wrong. Jesus is trying to tell this young man and through him us, that goodness comes when we are willing to surrender all to God and let Him fill us with His righteousness and yes, goodness.
In the book of James, we read this, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17) In the previous verse, James urges his readers not to be deceived. Being sinful, it is easy for us to believe that we create good. But the truth is every good thing in our life is a gift from God. In the midst of trials, we are tempted not to believe this but when we look at all things through the cross we know that is has to be true. God is truly good because He is truly love and nothing evil exists where there is love.
When I realized this. When I was able to admit I did need a Savior and that only when I was willing to surrender all my junk to Him would I be able to find real goodness filling me through the Holy Spirit. Goodness that makes me want to laugh out loud. Also allows me to let the Holy Spirit work through me to serve others. Now that is what I call good stuff!
I have to smile and be a bit embarrassed thinking of my anger at ‘do-gooders’. I have asked forgiveness also. My only excuse is that without the His goodness in my life I see now how bitter I was. You cannot believe how blessed I am today and I want to end this saying, “God is good, all the time!” And I pray you can answer with a heart full, “All the time, God is good!”
Blessings John
10/6/17