Good ?
Are you a “good” man/woman ? Uh-Huh…caught you off guard; didn’t i ? We’ve all heard the comebacks when that question was posed … “ Depends on who you ask “ … “ Depends on what day it is “ … “Good enough “ … and we all chuckle and think nothin else about it. I don’t believe we reflect enough on whether are not we’re measuring up to the standards of God. Being a “good” man/woman in the eyes of our peers ain’t hard … all we’ve gotta do is conform to whatever image they think is cool. It matters not if we’re conforming to the image of GOD, so long as we’re not making “them” feel uncomfortable. See where I’m goin ? There’s “man’s goodness”, and there’s “God’s goodness” … and you can bet your last dollar there’s a difference. We can cut up and tell crude jokes, drink and smoke with the best of em, cheat on our spouses, steal time from our employers, cuss and belittle our kids…and blend in with the crowd in every other common way, and still be considered a good man/woman in the eyes of those whose lifestyle matches ours. But what about GOD ? How do we look to Him ? This post may sting a little … but if it’ll get our attention and cause our hearts to change… cause us to understand more clearly what God expects of His sons/daughters…then it was worth the reading of it. Ain’t that what “truth” does alotta times ? It hurts ? God’s truth DOES hurt sometimes…because it convicts … but it also heals…as long as we’re sorry / remorseful for how we’ve been living…in opposition to God’s will…in disobedience to His word and commands. See ? A good man / woman receives favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices He condemns ( Proverbs 12:2 ). I can’t speak for you, but I’d a whole lot rather receive favor from God than condemnation ! It all starts with Jesus. If we’re ever gonna crawl out of that pit we’ve dug for ourselves, shuck those chains of despair and live a life free from the bondage of sin and shame, then we’ve gotta start with getting a relationship with God’s Son…Jesus Himself. He’s not only the Way, He’s Truth and Life ( John 14:6 ), and NO ONE gets to the Father except by Him. It ain’t hard to hear God’s calling…He knows our number … and the invitation is always open … until it ain’t ! If our “yes” is sincere and our hearts are broken because of our sin, He’ll pull us out of that mud and mire, clean us up ( Psalm 40:2 ) and place us on solid ground. Here’s the “good” part … our former goodness will be discarded ( Isaiah 64:6 ) and replaced with Jesus’ goodness ! After our deliverance from the desert, our eyes are opened to new ways, our hearts are made new and we’re able to live lives of freedom ( Luke 15:17; Acts 9:18; Ezekiel 36:26; John 8:36 ) ! We die to sin and are able to live in Christ ( Romans 6 ) ! Being a “good” man / woman is impossible without Him. It ain’t gon’ happen ! That’s why it all starts with Jesus ! God’s grace ( unmerited favor ) is sufficient … that means it “sticks” ( 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 2:8 )… only through that faith-based relationship with Christ. Good men and women are a dime a dozen when it comes to worldly standards. That doesn’t mean they’re good in the eyes of God, though … and their end is always gonna be the same … ( Matthew 7:21-23 ) … Jesus’ words; not Phil’s. Why wouldn’t we want the favor of God over the favor of an ordinary man or woman ?!? God’s blessings and favor trump anything this world and its people have to offer… and for the man / woman that walks uprightly in His eyes, He blesses with protection and honor ( Psalm 84:11 ). He holds them securely in His big ol hands ( John 10:28-30 ) and Satan has no control of them ! The life we now live, we live in Christ, who’s defeated the grave and provided ABUNDANT LIFE ( Galatians 2:20; John 10:10 ) ! No longer a slave to sin … and a “good” man / woman in the eyes of God, t’boot ! Life dont get no better than that ! Father God, help us examine our own goodness through the lens’ of your eyes and stop worryin about whether we look good to ordinary folks. Let our righteous living be proof of our relationship with You, bringing You honor and glory. Thank You for being a Good Good Father, Friend and Savior . In Jesus’ name we pray … amen.