Tag: Good

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Is this is good enough?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mark lays out a scene that every Rabbi, teacher or pastor would love to have happen. A man RUNS to ask Jesus about eternal life! Whoa. Where do we start? What do we say? Jesus banters back with an odd response.

The running man opened with “good teacher.” Good. Good. Good. The man compliments Jesus. Jesus volleys and hits it back to the man with a question, “why do you call me good?” Then Jesus follows it with a strange, but 100% true statement, “only God is really good.”
Jesus continues with a good declaration. One that clearly the man was already doing – the man was living a good life! “You know the commandments,” Jesus said. Is that a question? No. Jesus knows this is a good guy, doing good things. Then Jesus lists the “good” standards of the law, all of which are horizontal, mano-e-mano, human to human measures of good.

No murder – ✅.
No adultery – ✅.
No stealing – ✅.
No lying – ✅.
No financial cheating – ✅.
Honor your parents – ✅.

This guy was a saint, an Eagle Scout, a really decent good man. Check. Check. Check. He’s good! He humbly told Jesus, “I’ve obeyed all these since I was a kid.” So, why was he asking Jesus how to get eternal life? What was missing? He was already good and we find out he was already living the good life! What’s not adding up here?

Mark writes that Jesus (emblepó) deeply stared, engaging into the man’s soul and truly loved him. Jesus saw what was missing in his life. And in that moment Jesus’ love for him caused him to reveal the truth. There was one thing keeping him from really knowing God, thus really loving God.

There was another love, another god in his life. Oh, he was a commandment keeper, but he was holding on to something else, something that would keep him earthbound verses heaven-bound. He was rich! Jesus peered into this man’s soul and saw his true love, his true hope, his true heart. It was stuff and things. It was possessions and wealth. He wouldn’t make it to eternity because his heart was chained to his riches. Jesus, now answers the question the man did not want to hear, but desperately needed to hear, “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Jesus even offered him a chance to be a disciple, to experience God in flesh, here on earth. Jesus said it for AFTER you’ve sold everything, “come, follow me.” Jesus offered the man, not goodness, but greatness! If he wanted to be great in God’s Kingdom.

The man’s eager face, once filled with goodness, now fell to sadness because he was really really rich. Goodness is great until it replaces God. Well, how can anyone really be saved from themselves? Jesus told us, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” The miracle lies within complete surrender to God, giving all and not holding onto anything that gets between us and His love. With this good man it was his possessions. What about us? Is it pleasures, our plans? Hey! The guy likely believed that his wealth was a blessing from God. And, what if it was? But God did want him to amass wealth, he wanted him to give it away to bless others. But his wealth became what Christians call an idol. Rachel in the Old Testament stole and hid her father’s household idols. Michal helped David escape through a window and then took a large household idol and placed it in his bed to fool the guards. Idols are trinkets, statues or anything that becomes a secret hope, a secret faith, a secret life or pleasure. It’s a way for us to give “most” of our heart to God, but not all of it. God hates idols because they keep us appearing to be good, but in our hearts we’re not sold out for Him.

Prayer

​Dad,
What a story to help me get at the real issues in my own life. At first, it’s easy to just breeze through this as “rich man” issues – it is far more than that. It’s a story about being good vs great in Your Kingdom. Making you first and giving you every part of my heart, soul and strength should be a daily, hourly, priority in this life, in this world. Help me direct my passions towards you! Amen.

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Elegant clarity of God’s Law.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David, one of the favorite patriarchs and most beloved leaders of Israel writes this extraordinary Psalm. David’s personal life was filled with drama, trauma, failures and beauty. David was a prolific songwriter and psalmist. His humble beginnings, heroic acts, desperate evasions running from Saul, rise to power, despicable behavior as the highest authority in the land and highly dysfunctional household all make for an honest story to tell in the book of Psalms.

This psalm was inserted at the end of David’s life, so there is no real way to determine when it was written. Maybe when David was young and hungry for nothing but God’s presence. Or, maybe looking back at God’s faithfulness, even though David’s life may appear to be a disaster. Either way, this psalm captures the elegant clarity and resilience of God’s Law.

These words like perfect, trustworthy, joyous, clear, pure, true and fair are abundantly descriptive of God Himself and reflected in God’s Law. These words immediately make me feel defensive of God when He is wrongly blamed for being evil, blind, slow, unjust or unmerciful! Since God is perfect, it surprises me that we, as warped, broken human beings can’t see that maybe, just maybe, all the atrocities we blame God for are actually not from Him at all. I know that causes us to scream, then “why does God allow evil to prevail?”

Let me ask another question that is much more complex, “why does God let us choose anything?” “Why does God give us free will?” For God to rid the world of evil, wouldn’t that also mean ridding the world of YOU, or ME… and our choices! We are really addicted, obsessed and fixated on our own free will. We love our choices to do what we want, when we want and do not want anyone telling us differently. Anyone ever think that evil and awful atrocities have something to do with US and not God? We are quick to say, “they shouldn’t be allowed to __.” But we think twice about someone stopping us from doing what we want. Choices! We have them and we do whatever like. Why doesn’t God just stop the really bad things from happening? Hmmm, what would those “really bad” things be? Murder? Mayhem? War? Infanticide? Genocide? Cruelty? Racism? The list goes on.

At some point we should see the problem with eliminating some choices, but allowing others. And that’s just with humanity alone. This doesn’t even account for a real, living entity called Satan, the rebellious angel that hates humans and wants to destroy every single one of us! What about that? What about Satan’s free choices? Should he be allowed to do whatever he wants?

Back to God’s law and His perfection. Looking at God’s way, His rules, my hope is that we can see that God is good and His love for us is good as well. When I can’t see the “why” behind a tragedy, a diagnosis, or an atrocity – I can still trust that God is good and absolutely knows the person, circumstances and struggles behind each situation. God is eternal, and wise – our perspective is so limited and our understanding of all things is bound by those limitations. My trust in Him is resolute, no matter what I see or feel.

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so limited on what I know, see and feel. My trust in you, however, secure. I have seen your work and will among us for much of my life and I am convinced that you are exactly what this broken king David said you are – perfect. And your law, rules and ways are perfect as well. Thank you for continued mercy and patience with me and all of us who wait for sin to be no more and justice to prevail over all things.

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Assuming God Intent.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Awhile back Robin and I had dinner with another couple and one of them used to work for Apple retail. She said that Apple’s training emphasized that when in doubt, one should assume positive intent when seeing another employee or even a customer behaving suspiciously. The whole idea is to trust that people are doing the RIGHT thing even though we don’t fully understand what we see at the time. What a brilliant concept!

There are so many examples in the Bible where God was totally involved, and had specifically told people what they needed to do. Jesus himself was criticized for eating with sinners! Like people’s sin might accidentally rub off on him and make him unholy? Mary, was pregnant with God’s only son and it was the only way God could save humanity – but people suspected that she was unfaithful to Joseph!

Here in Peter’s story, he is questioned for eating with Gentiles, not knowing that God had orchestrated the whole thing. When will we get it? Oftentimes God has directed people to do something that may appear suspicious, but it is completely within His plan. We should practice assuming God intent.

We have so much social media criticism flying around, quoting and misquoting preachers or “catching” Christian celebs in what we think are compromising positions. Have we considered that they may be doing exactly what God told them to do? Word got back to Jerusalem and the Jewish believers criticized Peter! So yeah, Peter had a great God story to tell, but how far would the gossip have gone? Luke made sure the truth, the God intent, was written down for all to see.

I think it’s helpful to assume positive intent when working with people. But, I think it is far more important to assume God intent in the community of faith. Next time I see a suspicious behavior in a believer, I’m going to hold my criticism, assuming God intent, until I get a chance to hear their big God story!

Prayer

Dad,
You are doing BIG stuff in our dark and dangerous world. You are always at work, bringing light and justice to the shadiest situations that we will never even know about. And, you are involving us in your grand story – the redemption of humanity! I am positive that you know what you’re doing. And, I trust that you have people doing good work in areas and with individuals that I will never see. Help me in my negative and critical thinking, assuming the worst in other believers. I would rather think well of them and that you have a plan and a reason behind the scenes. Help me believe in you working through others!

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God sees and God knows.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did your mother ever tell you, “God is always watching”? It is true. What may seem inescapable as a child can also be comforting. It also gets quite convicting as a teen. I couldn’t explain it as a child, but I did have a sense that someone, somewhere was watching over me and watching out for me. It was a benevolent, secure feeling when I was growing up. I did not have a sense that an ominous being was hovering about watching and waiting for me to do wrong and send punishments from above. I could only understand kindness.

This was helpful when I was fifteen and a nonverbal voice spoke to me and offered me life and a promise. God offered to be my Dad if I gave Him my life. The reason I recognized this voice, this feeling, was directly connected to the idea that someone had kept me from great harm while going through a traumatic and chaotic childhood. I wasn’t necessarily a good boy or even an evil boy. It was much simpler than that. I was invisible and lost. The Lord who keeps watch over the invisible was the only one who really saw me.

If you feel invisible or lost, I can assure you – God sees you. And, He knows you, from before you began and throughout eternity. David in the Psalms wrote, “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.” So it is both comforting and convicting to know that God sees us in our evil choices as well as good ones. I think it’s best to keep our attention on just us, not focusing on others. It does no good to compare our own evils or good with others. That comparison is detrimental to us and the person we are comparing to. Knowing that God sees all, even to the level of our thoughts and motivations, we should just concern ourselves with how God feels about us – ignoring what everyone may think.

When we are good, or obedient to what God wants, of course He is pleased. And when we are evil, or disobedient, He is not pleased with our choices or behavior. However, His love and mercy are always towards us and He disciplines those He loves. There are natural consequences to our choices and behaviors as well as God’s supernatural intervention to bring us or keep us to the narrow path of salvation.

Without knowing anyone’s story, or their past. Without knowing their struggles and pains. It is impossible to judge or compare our lives to each other. This makes God’s justice and judgement perfect to each and every human soul. God sees and knows us individually and intimately.

Prayer

Dad,
I love that this Proverb captures the truth and it is all I have ever known. When I do good, you see. It does not matter if anyone else sees it. And, conversely, when I do evil, you also see, but I would definitely not want anyone else to see! Even knowing you see me, has not prevented me from evil, selfish choices. That really bothers me and it’s puzzling to figure out why I still choose to do it. There is no good nor evil that can be hidden from you. I love for you to see my good choices and loath to think of you watching my evil choices. I have cursed my own humanity to be in that bind. I am constantly in need of your grace and mercy. It is helpful, but humbling to know that you see me through the work of Christ and His payment for my sins. Yet, I must believe or be crushed by the disappointment I bring before You when I chosen to do evil. Thank you for your gift of undeserved favor!

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Haters hate good.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.” 1 John‬ ‭3:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Well this clears up some questions about the first two brothers. Don’t ya just love it when one of Jesus’ apostles helps us with some Old Testament interpretations? John is always going deep for the “Love God?” prove it by loving others!

Anyone can CLAIM that they love. This word has lost value in our world today. It’s been stolen, watered down and cut with nonsense and marketed back to us like a cheap cologne. It’s just a sales-pitch buzz word now.

Besides, anyone can say they love God and behave all holy and spiritual. Yet, because God is perfect and we can’t see him, we just have to take the person’s word for it when they say they “love” him. Oh, but trying showing love to another human, a flawed, broken human that is NOT perfect – not so easy.

This love John speaks of, towards one another, it doesn’t “save” them nor “save” us, it just lets us practice what we preach about our commitment to God himself. This love towards another doesn’t flippantly or carelessly push others away, judging them and walking away. No, this love artfully, thoughtfully engages them. This love stays in the fight for understanding, for perspective. This love LOVES HARD, determined, tenacious yet honest.

John gives an example. We must not be like Cain? What about Cain? Fun fact. Cain and Abel were not little boys, nor young men when Cain ended Abel’s life then angrily lied to God. No, they were in their 80’s! They had families and kids of their own.

Cain seethed over the fact that Abel just obeyed God and lived his life most likely getting all the good breaks because of being wise. Cain’s worst enemy was himself and continually believing a lie – he knew better than God and was self-determined to do life his way and prove that he did not need anyone telling him right from wrong. Cain snuggled up to the snake and chose evil as his advisor, his confidant.

When you choose to believe a lie and live towards that lie, only angry bitterness awaits you. It’s inevitable. Eventually, you’ll be picking up rocks and looking for something or someone to murder, looking for someone to blame for your own choices.

Haters hate good. Haters hate true justice. Haters have only one thing to prove, they don’t need God to be good, they can do it themselves!

Prayer

Dad,
There is no way I could ever be “good” or good enough on my own. I do not want to live for myself and unto myself as the standard of what love looks like. Kindness without your love is just a fake trying to duplicate who you are. It’s a northerner just responding with pleasantries but wishing the person would go away and leave them alone. Loving you is difficult on its own, but loving others? Wow – that’s the hardest love ever. I can say it with words but it’s empty without action. Help me to love like you love!