I’ve heard it said that sometimes “good” can be the enemy of “best”. And it can be hard to tell the difference. I wonder if ministry and mission get mixed up in this way too? At times I think I have been happy just to get some good stuff done without knowing if it really accomplished all that much in the long run.
That we have received God’s common grace (as we discussed last week) invites us to share this blessing with others, individually and collectively. And as Christians, having accepted the “good” given to us at the cross of Christ, we not only see our most common human need more clearly, but we see that the common good to be demonstrated to the world would truly be God’s common best–the sacrifice of his own Son and the forgiveness that brings about an ongoing restoration of all people, places and things.
God’s common “best” is his will being done on earth as it is in heaven. His greatest good is to restore everyone in the world back to a close relationship with himself and to see relationships between people restored. This is all a part of the kingdom of God that we now gratefully participate in, making God’s love and grace a real, tangible thing in others lives here, now, today. For us this is not to be done for show, penance or out of guilt or a sense of duty.
We love because we have been loved.
We do good because of the good that has been done for us.
Our Father God is in the habit of giving his best and has enlisted the church in the family business. The common good is done by individuals, but requires communities to flourish and take root. We now have the privilege to live, together as a community, in a rhythm of blessing others and bringing the kingdom of God to bear in all of life. Not just as planned special events, or set-aside “days of service”, but as a lifestyle.
Not as a program, but as a birthright.
Jesus said that those who would walk in his ways and live as his disciples would come to know the truth that sets them free. Are we willing to invite others to walk with us in the everyday stuff of life as we, together, learn to do good in the ways of Jesus? Do we believe that our own sanctification and the daily working out of our salvation will be along side the unlovable?
When you look out across your city or neighborhood, and you see others in need, how do you perceive them and decide who is worthy of your help? Do you only help those who find themselves, by no fault of their own, in bad situations or in great need? What about the perpetrators of crime and those who have made bad life-decisions and created the mess they find themselves in? Who sits at highest priority on your “list”?
One time in my missional community there was a single mother who consistently found herself in financial need. She grew in her boldness to share her needs and receive help from those in our group. However, over time some of our folks began to grumble about helping her one more time… They said things like, “I think if she hadn’t gotten her girls those new dresses and such nice backpacks for school, she would have had the money she needs for her electric bill this month. She’s using us.”
Pretty icky, huh?
We had to help these weary do-gooders see that why our sister had come to be in great need didn’t really matter all that much. If a single mom can’t keep her heat and lights on, that is sad. If she is faking it to take advantage of us, that is even sadder! Then we would really need to show her love and God’s good provision. Grace works this way; it expands to meet our actual sinful needs.
Rubber on Road Time
This is where our belief in the gospel is tested. The more needy, broken and undeserving a person is, the more they are (just like me and my sin) in need of grace. Jesus said that it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. And that he came not for the righteous, but for messed up sinners.
Some churches over the years have taken on the practice of only doing good, called benevolence, for those inside their congregations. They reason that there are plenty of social services that are designed to help “those” people. And they are more than happy to give them a multi-paged list of agencies in their city along with a complimentary bus token.
An inaccurate understanding and righteous quoting of 1 Timothy 5:8, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” soothes their conscience and bolsters their resolve on the matter. In actuality, God has made it abundantly clear in his Word that we are to treat everyone–especially the outsider–as family, showing them the heart of our generous Abba/Daddy/Father.
I see it like this…we have a good Father, but some of our brothers or sisters are alienated from him, they don’t know him very well and do not trust that he has their best in mind, always. They never come for dinner or holidays. It is our job is to share and show the truth of his love and let them know that another one of his sons gave his life to provide a way for them to be restored to Daddy, our Father.
God loves his kids–all of them. Not just the ones who go to your church and have said the “Jesus in my heart” prayer.
Next week I’ll wrap this discussion up with Part 3: The Common Good Should Be Good News
Question: When have you had times of doing “good” things for folks only later to find out that there was definitely a “better”?
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