“Why do you call me good?”
It is a question that Jesus asks in Mark’s Gospel when He was called good. Yet oftentimes, we read a passage like the one we find in Galatians and think to ourselves, “I am good”. When I look around the world I see a lot of bad and in comparison, I am good. Perhaps we list our achievements or think of certain qualities that people have commented on and we think, “I am good”! We may even have specific examples of times when we have been good and we reassure ourselves, “yes, I am good”. We reflect on the last two qualities that Paul has listed in Galatians, kindness and peace, and find those slightly more challenging but feel reassured that if we can implement those two surely goodness will follow.
Paul finds it fitting to highlight goodness as well as kindness and peace. That is because in this passage, ‘Goodness’ speaks more about our actions than it does our attitude (peace) and moral standing (being kind). The original Greek word used for goodness here means ‘constructive action reaching out to others’. Paul is telling us that if we are Christians, if we know and love the Lord and we are in an active relationship with Him, we will be desperate to do good for and towards others. Although that sounds more like kindness, Paul emphasises that kindness is how we do things but goodness is what we do.
The good things that we do should be based solely on who God is and what He judges to be good. In Mark’s Gospel, after Jesus is called good, He continues His reply by saying “it is only He (God) who is good”. God is the ultimate good. All that He does is good. He does not ignore our sin but rather, in His ultimate goodness He dealt with it. The cross is the symbol of true good where God poured out His punishment on Jesus while we receive grace and mercy. This was an action that God chose to do.
As we live as Christians we should constantly be challenged to actively pursue the good of other people in a way that glorifies Christ and makes His name great. That should be our aim in our workplace, in our family, in our friendships and in the weeks we serve at camp or with Hello Life. When we are tired, when we are weary, we would do well to remember the goodness that Christ displayed for us in His trials and temptations. Allow that image to spur us on to goodness in our own lives.
Further passages to consider this week:
Monday: Titus 2:11-14
Tuesday: Luke 6:27-36
Wednesday: Galatians 6:6-10
Thursday: Mark 10:17-31
Friday: Romans 12:9-21
Questions to ask about each passage:
