The Good One

Cain and Abel. Esau and Jacob. The prodigal son and his brother. Leah and Rebecca. Can you pick out the “good one”? When we choose, we are forced to pit one against the other.

In my household, my older dog, Rio, is the “good one” as opposed to O’Kelley, our nine-month-old Irish Setter. Rio is more complacent, less pesky, and tolerant. His obedience is commendable. O’Kelley, on the other hand, gets overly playful, biting at Rio’s legs and tail and chasing him around the room. The most recent phrase heard around our house has become, “Leave him alone.” At one point, however, Rio was just as annoying to our older dog, O’Malley, whom I would have said was the “good one” at that time. 

What makes the person or animate object “good?” Is it the act of being willing to be a nurturer or caregiver? Is it timing or age? Perhaps behavior and socialization play into it. What about submissiveness or even talent? It could be any number of things or ways in which we measure being good or bad.

When we take a step back, we see that it comes down to standards – more specifically, acceptable standards. The drug dealer or human trafficker doesn’t see himself as bad. He calls evil good. That’s because his moral standards have been distorted. What he sees as good is nothing more than the benefit he derives from it, regardless of the damage left in its wake.

What is the gauge we use to decide what is better than something else? We must establish a means of comparison in order to determine which is good and which is bad.

The Bible says in Isaiah 64:6, “When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.”  What? Why? Does that mean none of us are good? Nope! At least not in God’s eyes. Not even Mother Theresa, the Pope, or Billy Graham? The simple and undeniable fact is, we are sinners. We are born that way. We do not have the capacity to be good. Sin separates us from God. He is perfect holiness. Our best efforts fall short, are worthless, and contaminated with sin in comparison to God’s pure and flawless standard. Psalm 14:3 is clear. “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Whether we gauge our goodness by deeds or behavior, that goodness is a direct reflection of the relationship we have with God. Although we cannot change the sinful self that we are, we should still strive to exemplify the righteousness of God through good deeds.

I just completed writing a series of devotionals addressing the theme of using our resources to help others. The Bible is full of examples of how to do good toward others. We can be instruments of good if we choose to. Keep in mind, however, that “good deeds cannot rescue us from sin” (Hebrews 13:16).

But it is here where I present the blessing. And that is the blessing of grace. Our goodness and our salvation are inadequate without God’s grace. Only through His undeserved favor and compassion can we be made righteous in His sight. We must surrender our pride and self-righteousness and approach God with humility. His grace is a gift; it is not something we earn through our own works.

As believers, we are transformed when we recognize our sinful nature and the need for God’s grace for redemption. We come with contrite hearts asking for His mercy and grace to cleanse us. We are then restored, opening ourselves to the fullness of His love and the work He can do in and through our lives. Good work. Good deeds.

We can be the good ones. Like King Asa, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Mary, and so many others, we can be viewed through the lens of God’s grace and be seen as good. I think I like that label.