Do Good
Do Good
Galatians 2:10 says ,”we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Luke 6:27-28 says, “I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
Rule number two is so simple it consists of only two words…”do good.” And, from the Luke passage, it seems clear that our living out of this rule should be directed to all people.
When I think about doing good, I think of our words and deeds. With our words, we can do good by encouraging others, building others up, and even offering words of correction. With our deeds, we can do good by helping out others in need. We have the opportunity to do good on a daily basis. Are we taking advantage of these opportunities? Bishop Job encourages readers to do “good to all in every circumstance in every way I can.” He also writes, “Every act and every word must pass through the love and will of God and there be measured to discover if its purpose does indeed bring good and goodness to all it touches.”
But, this idea of doing good was sparked a bit further by my friend Scott Greene. Speaking at our senior high camp, Scott talked about how we need to do the good works God has called us to. And, when we do the good he’s called us to we find great joy and fulfillment.
There are many good things we can do…but are they the good things God has called us to? That’s something we all need to wrestle with…what good thing is God calling you to do?
I’ve been kicking this thought around. There are a lot of things I can do that maybe I’m not really called to do at this moment in time. And, I think there are some things I’m called to that I’m not able to fully devote myself to because I’m consumed in doing something things I can but am not called to do. For example, I “can” do youth ministry. But, I don’t really feel called to do it. My journey to Center Chapel was also part of being obedient to God’s call on my life…one that was leading me out of youth ministry. Also, I don’t really feel called to praise and worship ministry. I can do it and make it work. But, that’s not where I feel God is calling me to utilize my gifts and energy. At times, I find myself thinking, “Man, I could really give more energy to “this” if I wasn’t doing “that.” And, in all honesty, because I don’t feel called and find great joy in some of the things I’m doing, I don’t find the motivation to really pour myself into it. And, I’ll have new ideas that I feel God is calling me to, but I simply don’t have the time to pursue them because of the other things I need to do.
Yet, at the same time, I find myself asking…am I supposed to just do this anyway? If I really just pour into it will I find joy? I just can’t shake the idea that God would rather have us do what He’s called us to do than the things we can or think we should do.
But, when it comes down to it…I’m called to do no harm and to do good. Maybe the good I’m called to do are things that aren’t my favorite things (and then again, maybe not).