Do Good!

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10 NIV

The admonition to do good here is not a strange one; it is steeped in history. From the story of creation, we see good woven into every aspect of life. God himself, being a good God, created all things as a function of his nature, and when he had finished, he saw that everything was very good. He then commanded man to continue in that good work and improve on what he had done. That is the foundation of our lives.

Sin tried to tamper with that template. With sin came several other evils, such as murder, adultery, hatred, jealousy, homosexuality and the like. At that point, good became less attractive and evil easier to engage in. We were helpless and hopeless without God. However, God, being good, always had a plan of restoration. He wasn't going to allow the devil win. So, he put his eternal plan in motion, made a way of reconciliation and restored the original plan.

Now, we are asked to do the same good that we were mandated to do from creation. If I have been rescued from evil, I owe it to God to spread the same benefit to others. If I appreciate that God has given me life, the best I can do is to share that life with other people.

This is the key thing: the greatest good you could do is to plant eternity in the heart of man. You must meet needs where they are, you must extend love where hate exists, but the greatest good is to ensure that the good God, who you have come to know and receive, is also known by all men. Would it profit any man anything, if all his needs were met down here, but his greatest need was not met? No matter how much good you receive or do down here, it is for a while.

So, let's do good to all men. It does not matter what their reactions may be; it does not matter whether they repay me evil for the good I do. What is key is that I understand what God expects, and I keep at it. Good retains its nature, irrespective of the reactions against it. Even in the house of God, men may reject you and what you do, but keep at it. Reward is not tied to other people's response but to the sincerity of my own action. His time of favour is here.