To Be Holy – Doing good

It hasn’t really been that long that people can watch an uplifting video online. Now of course we not only can watch cats do all sorts of things, we are flooded with video’s that constantly warn in the title that we will need all the tissues in the world if we watch.

It’s interesting that people want to know that there is good – and they want to see it - even if they cannot settle on what ‘good’ is. Somehow we all understand that we should be ‘good’ people and we say things like, “He was a good man.” But why? Why should I be good? And what is ‘good’?

This is the very question that we should ask. If I can decide what ‘good’ is – and so may you – then ‘good’ will continue to change. It will never be the same for anyone. Even if we say that ‘society’ decides what ‘good’ is, we are basically saying that each person determines it – they just all get together about it for a little while.

But is that good? If it is, then why are people upset about what others did in the past? Why would we be upset about how people kept slaves or fought wars or conquered peoples? If those people at that time decided that these actions were ‘good’, and the idea of ‘good’ is determined by society at the time – then there’s no problem, right?

And yet we all seem to know that there IS a problem. This is because we feel that there is a standard of ‘good’. There are basic ideas which are ‘good’ and other ideas which are ‘bad’ (or evil). Of course it only bothers us when someone does something to me that I do not like.

But ‘good’ isn’t about me. That is the whole problem. I do good, because it is good – whether it is ‘good’ (beneficial) for me or not. In fact, good is more about the other than about me. It is centered in, focused on, built upon God. God says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) When I want to know what is ‘good’, I look at Jesus’ example and teaching.

So, why worry about making sure that things are correct with my taxes, or worry about that small bit of cheating? Yes, of course I will never cheat on my wife when we get married, but if we know we are going to get married very soon, why would it be ‘not good’ (wrong) to give ourselves physically to one another now? Yes, I know that stealing is not ‘good’, but these little bits from my company – nobody will notice and it is not really stealing.

It’s not really lying. It’s not really being disobedient. It’s not really .... Holiness helps us to understand what ‘good’ is. God is holy. He is good (the very definition). I do good (or try) because He has re-made me, because I am being made holy. And the beautiful thing about this is – it really is possible!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2