Be ESPECIALLY Good
UnderDog Report #105
The Good in Doing Good
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How Good Should You Be?
Being Good. The Bible has a lot to say about ‘being good’ in many verses, but there is only ONE verse that talks about being ESPECIALLY GOOD, and that’s the purpose of this article today to talk about who we should be especially good to.
Galatians 6:10 (NIV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
However, I want to clarify this right up front so it’s clear.
Every religion on the face of the planet, except one, bases future salvation on the works they do while here on earth. The works you do to ‘earn’ your salvation, it is the opposite of for Christianity. Christianity is the only religion where there is no works required for salvation, all that is required is what it says when it talks about both forgiveness of sins and eternal life:
Romans 10:9-10.9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
However, there are many recommendations for good works for every Christian AFTER they are saved. We will get to that shortly.
Are You ‘GOOD?’
Being good. Most people think of themselves as good, they think they are a good person and when they review the things they think they are doing are good, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why, because when you think of the good things you do, it makes you feel good. That’s one of the benefits of doing good. In fact, it is frequently said that when you are depressed, the best thing you can do is help somebody else. In helping somebody else, not only are they blessed, but you are blessed in the process!
The United States has been consistently rated as the most generous (per capita) country over the course of the last decade. In the United States, roughly 7 in 10 people consistently reported helping others:[1]
Many of us want to be good and believe that being good will have a positive effect on our lives now and later; they are correct in a number of ways. But most people define themselves as good in these ways
- The GOOD you do for yourself, family, and friends
- The GOOD you do for those in need
- The GOOD you do for the community
1. The Good You Do For Yourself, Your Family, and Friends
People often think of themselves as ‘good when they take care of their family, their friends, and themselves; they view themselves as good people doing good. In business dealings, I’ve met people who pay their employees as little as possible so that they can take care of their families. They believe this is doing good. The Bible has something to say about this.
Luke 6:32-36 (NIV) 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Do good to those that DO NOT love you, without any expectation of a return. This is because your reward will be in heaven.
2. The Good You Do For Those In Need
This is the area where people feel the most beneficial to themselves and others. They can see firsthand the positive effects that they have on others this includes helping the poor helping addition disadvantaged
James 1:27 (NIV) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Romans 15:26 (NIV) For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem
Which widows and /or orphans? The chapter in James is written to Jewish Christians, and this verse in Romans specifically states that contributions were given to Christians in Jerusalem, their brothers in the household of faith.
James 2:14-17 (NIV) 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
3. The Good You Do for the Community
I am going to eliminate ‘Doing Good’ as a measure of being good when giving money to organizations. Many organizations allocate only a small percentage of their donations to those in need, retaining the majority for their own use. This has been referred to as “Corporate Good” or “Virtue Signaling.” Some hire PR agencies to give money to specific organizations and then have photos signaling that they are good people. These may very well not be good people.
It’s clear that the Bible instructs us to do good, but we should be especially good to one another, particularly to fellow Christians. This is our higher calling, and in the process, we should not eliminate the good we do for others. That’s what especially good means.
Movies About People Doing Good[1]
It’s surprising that there aren’t many recent movies about people doing good, but here are a few from the past.
- It’s a Wonderful Life is the story of George Bailey, a man who has dedicated his life to helping others. No one really knows how valuable they really are.
- Pay It Forward A tale of simple acts sparking monumental changes, this film explores the power of kindness in unexpected ways. Giving to others is addictive.
- Schindler’s List When the SS exterminates Jews in the Krakow ghetto, Schindler arranges to have his workers protected to keep his factory in operation, thus saving innocent lives.
- Patch Adams an exploration of one man’s unorthodox but compelling take on healthcare, highlighting the power of humor and humanity in healing.
Finally, The Bible has a lot to say about being good, but remember who you should be ESEPCIALLY GOOD to.
Galatians 6:10 (NIV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
NIV PSALM 119:68 “You are good (God), and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”
MATTHEW 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
GALATIANS 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
ROMANS 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
TITUS 3:8 “This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.”
EPHESIANS 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
1 THESSALONIANS 5:15 “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”
[1] https://www.ranker.com/review/pay-it-forward/1771580?l=3209006
[2] https://www.fastcompany.com/90417884/america-remains-the-most-generous-place-in-the-world-but-barely
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