Good girl - Good Job - Be Good
How many times have I uttered those words to my children? Do they even register anymore or is it just my voice droning on in their head?
I sincerely want my kids to ‘be good’. To do the right thing even when they don’t feel like it. Even when it’s hard.
Especially when it’s hard.
To display integrity and compassion in their daily lives. To be driven by their desire to please God rather than allowing circumstances to dictate behavior. That’s how I define goodness…love in action.
I want that for my own life too.
What does it mean to be a good person? How do we measure goodness?
It’s always interesting to see what’s out there on the internet. You’re probably not surprised to learn there’s a quiz available to find out if indeed you are a good person. I took the quiz and then just for fun I took it a couple more times, changing my answers each time.
In other words I lied on the goodness quiz.
That probably isn't good.
I have to wonder though, if a person obtains a score of only 28% can that person still realistically call himself 'good' ?
And while the quiz may be flawed it did manage to hit on a lot of the ideas we associate with goodness. Honesty, keeping promises, respecting our elders, showing sensitivity to others, responding with kindness, helping people in times of distress. I think capturing the essence of goodness in words is quite difficult. Goodness is a concept measured in degrees and only God’s goodness is absolute. All other goodness is measured against this singularly perfect standard. As is true with everything important in life we've been given some instructions relating to goodness...
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)
As I re-read these familiar verses one thing jumped out at me-
Goodness is not easy.
In fact quite often it is completely exhausting.
We're warned up front that it might make us weary but we are told not to give up. Goodness isn’t a feeling…its an action word. It is evident in how we live our lives and I've noticed that goodness is often what draws us in and makes us want to know a person better. But being good can require hard work. Sometimes actual muscle and sweat. It might mean going out of our way, taking time we don’t have, interrupting our own plans and schedule to be there for someone else, getting out our wallets, staying up extra late or getting up extra early, maybe even middle of the night stuff. I can think of many situations that call for goodness...
Moms with crying babies who could use a meal delivered along with a side helping of encouragement.
Moms with lots of kids and few resources who could use a meal and a break.
Moms with difficult teens who break their hearts, who need a cup of coffee and a listening ear
An elderly neighbor who wants to talk when I have a to- do list as long as my arm
A friend who needs a favor-again. And again. And again.
Strangers I encounter who are living on the street
Strangers I encounter in traffic, in busy parking lots, in the supermarket
Rude drivers
Rude people everywhere
Gossips
Friends walking thru grief
An argument with a spouse, a parent, a sibling and how I react to someone’s anger or frustration
Requests that bombard me…for my time, my money, my prayers
Injustice the world over
Et Cetera
Every day the chance for goodness presents itself. To help, to listen, to do.
To ‘be good.’
In small ways and large. In the wider world and in my very own house. How do I respond?
Do I grow weary? Do I give up? Or will I reap a harvest at the proper time?
“Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all times.” John Wesley
This post is part of the One Word Blog Carnival…visit Bridget's blog to read more posts on this week’s word-goodness.
