Goodness Sake
James 1:17 KJV
(17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
This past Christmas season it seemed like there was an increase of opposition to the celebration of Christ as the reason for the holiday. There were anti-God displays positioned next to Christmas displays in an effort to come directly against any belief in or need for Jesus. There was one particular effort on their part, however, that, from my perspective, did much more to affirm the need for God than dissemble it. I believe it was a statement on a tee-shirt or small poster that read, “Be good for goodness sake”, with the implication that goodness was reason alone– no need for God. For the one who has a true understanding of the origin of any goodness, though, this is but an affirmation of faith and a further motivation for the commitment of one’s life to the only One who is truly good. For all the efforts of the independent that see themselves as existing apart from the necessity of God in their life, there can really be no ‘goodness’ without the inclusion of God and the embrace of His most perfect gift of ‘goodness’ in His Son, Jesus.
As we are drawn to a place of nearness to our good, good Father, there is an ever-increasing desire to do just that, though– be good. Where there may be a tendency to be otherwise, the holiness and righteousness of God, along with the severity for choosing otherwise will align steps along the path that is right. Romans 2:4 states that it is actually the goodness of God that brings us to a place where goodness in our own life is even possible. Until this is our story, that repentance, motivated by His goodness, has displaced the badness in our way of life, there can be no enjoyment of goodness. There is no ’being good’ until the One from whom the ’goodness’ comes is embraced in an atmosphere of holy repentance. This is our place today, though, and this is our opportunity– for the gift of His goodness to take hold in our hearts and lives and for there to be evidence in the way we live. We can really be ‘good for goodness sake’ with a heart of worship that knows the Good One.