Seek the Good
KEY QUESTION
What does it mean to do the right thing? How do I know?
KEY IDEA
I choose to be kind and good in my relationships with others.
KEY VERSE
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good (lit. “the good”) for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15, NIV)
The journey we are on this fall in our community of faith is too look at the list of virtues or inner qualities of the heart that has been captured by Jesus. Today we are going to pay specific attention to qualities of kindness and goodness.
They are part of the visible gifts of God’s Holy Spirit indwelling us. (Make a note of this passage) Galatians 5:22-23 – But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control…
This call upon our lives to demonstrate kindness and goodness becomes our canvas today as we draw out the implications of a simple verse in the bible.
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good (lit. “the good”) for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15, NIV)
If we are to be known for our kindness and goodness we are going to be people who will always strive to do what is “the good”. We will seek the good.
When the bible speaks about the good we are proclaiming a profound truth. We are saying if we that to find meaning, significance and purpose in our lives we are called to be people who seek the good. This is a moral imperative for God’s people.
Brent reminded me the text of our key verse literally translates this part of the 1 thessalonoians 5:15 – “pursue the good for each other and for all”
Let me read this observation by Brent, (That means)There is a moral category called the “the good” and it does exist and we need to be aware of its existence as we make life-choices. As we look to the text Paul doesn’t hesitate in declaring we need to look for it. It’s there in every circumstance. Sometimes it is hard to see. Other times we may wonder if it is worth the effort to find, but we must never deceive ourselves into thinking it doesn’t exist. In every circumstance and on every occasion, there is “the good” and we are told to look for it.
In fact when we are considering what job we are called to do, how we are to live among others within our families, neighbours and within God’s family and how wil make a difference in this world – seeking the good for others is an anchor point for our lives.
And the good that exists is not based on me. Often a wide gulf exists between each other when the good becomes, “what is good for me”. That phrase masks the motives that lie beneath the surface. It is code for – my wants and my desires. Good for me comes to mean what I find comfortable and convenient.
Rather the good exists because God exists. The very character of God includes goodness.
I think of Jesus words when ask by the rich young ruler. “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. (cf.Mark 10:17-18)
In the OT songbook of the Psalms we hear –
How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! Psalm 116:5
One of my earliest choruses I learned was “God is so good, God is so good. God is so good. He’s so good to me”
Consider how the bible shows us God is good.
- God created a world that was good. Paul reminds us of this when he tells Timothy – Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. 1 Timothy 4:4
- God works good in the midst of evil. In the story of Joseph and his family Joseph declares – You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people
- God has planned long ago for us to do good things. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10
The Good exists because God exists. “The Good” is primarily about God and his purposes, not about what I want. We need to remind ourselves of that on a regular basis. Jesus Christ is at the center of God’s purposes – and the highest good is that Christ is center of all we do.
The good can get complicated
As we get along on life it seems that seeking the good can get complicated.
- It is often hard
The decision making is difficult in the best of times. Usually there are many factors involved. When you add the idea of the “the good” and then compound that with “for each other and everyone” — our thinking slows down. Now we have to think about how our decisions affect others outside our immediate group — our spouse, our kids. Now we look at our extended family, our church, our friends & neighbours. Now we have to think about the difference of what is nice, versus what is best which may look worse up front but good in the long run.
Seeking the good grows immediately from something simple to something hard.
Example of fire drill – yelling fire is more dangerous than pulling the fire alarm –
But you know as well as I do that what is most difficult is actually doing this. Sometimes it is obvious what “the good” is but doing it will require something from us that is difficult.
- Others may disagree
Another reason pursuing the good is complicated is that it conflicts with our desire to promote ourselves. Sometimes doing “the good” will get us criticized. Sometimes people will misunderstand and sometimes people will just simply disagree with our understanding of what “the good” is. These are the risks we run when we break free of a self-focused existence.
I know that the bible teaches to give a portion of my income to the church. Traditionally, that is 10% – a tithe. The NT teaches that all my possessions belong to God, but we like to give the first 10% of our income to our local congregation to support our common spiritual life.
If you come from a non-christian family, the first thing people will say if they find out is that you are crazy. Maybe brain-washed. I mean, who does that right? Particularly if you are trying to get yourself out of debt or save for retirement or pay off a mortgage. In a world acclimatized to “the easy” or “the self” — pursuing “the good” is a strange and often disagreeable thing.
- We must decide
Finally, pursuing “the good” gets complicated by the simple fact that we need to make a decision and act on it. It goes beyond a mental exercise. There may be 10 possible choices, be we must discern which one represents “the good”. It may be that half of our options ‘good’ and so we need to look for what is best — the most good of our good options. In either case, being frozen in indecision is not the same as pursuing “the good”.
We are called to actively pursue “the good”
A rationale often given to not chose the good is stated – “well we really didn’t have a choice.” Choosing the good is always an option.
I think about all the good choices in the midst of misguided, foolish, wrong and evil reactions we face in our lives. Let us not be simplistic – there are real dilemmas we face in our marriage, parenting, work as employers/employees & play, as a friend, neighbour, global citizen, and life itself about what seeking the good as a soul who is learning to think, act and be like Jesus.
But choosing the good for a follower is anchored in these realities of the good news of God to us.
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- The Cross teaches us to sacrifice –
we are often reminded doing good will require we say no to our self centered desires in order for the good to happen.
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- God’s community discerns and expresses the good together.
Often we may wish for more good to happen n the world around us…we celebrate when it occurs but are not surprised when we self interest reigns. But the one place where we can seek the good consistently is in God’s family the church. We need to encourage one another to seek the good as fellow believers – encourage generosity, service, learning, caring.
The church needs to be the place where we have honest , at times uncomfortable and challenging discussions as we prayerfully discern about seeking the good.
Doing the good happens together – when you and i come together God leads us to do things that by ourselves is unimaginable.
- God gives us power to demonstrate goodness and kindness
These qualities are God’s divine work in our our souls. We need to actively depend on all the energy that Christ so powerfully works in you and me. (Colossians 1:29)
Conclusion:
Seek the good – do it kindly – these are essential characteristics of love. How will you express goodness and kindness this week Are you becoming a person who is living out such is the love of Christ we are called to express.
Choosing “the good” is always an option
“Seek the good for each other”
What is the good? Criteria for the good.
What are the tools/truths do I have at my disposal to discern the good?
Everybody has a dilemma of what is the good?
Ethical perspective:
- Do the good versus the wrong
- Do unto others
- Prayerfully ask for wisdom
- We may discern differently
- Good is different from nice and comfortable
- Decision made by faith
His purpose is to show the meaning of kindness in the life of the man whom Christ has
grasped. Kindness and gentleness belong to the visible gi”s of the Spirit (Gal.
5:22). Love (See art.; → ἀγάπη) shows itself as kindness (1 Cor. 13:4, expressed
here by the vb. chrēsteuetai hē agapē). For kindness is an unmistakable and
essential characteristic of love. Because kindness is one of the chief gi”s of the
Spirit, it becomes the subject of the exhortation of Col. 3:12: “Put on then, as
God’s chosen ones, compassion, kindness.”
- The good get complicated
- The good is hard
- Others discern differently
- We make choices by faith
- We are called to actively pursue it.