He Went about Doing Good

Our Lord’s earthly life was simple and profound. “He went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). In each situation, with each person, he sought to do good, to bless, to help. He did not seek anything for himself but served those in the room with him.

                “Doing good” is a verb. He gave; he did. Not a slogan or idea; our Lord’s goodness was love acting. He spoke a fit word in season to lift up the discouraged, or to humble the proud. He sympathized with the hurting; he rebuked the oppressor. He did not sit in the corner and wait to be served. He overcame selfishness with selfless love.

                He continues to do good from heaven. He sympathizes with us, prays for us, helps us, shepherds us. He rules over all his enemies and ours, subdues our sins, searches our hearts. He encourages, teaches, and comforts us by his Spirit. We sin; he forgives. We worry; he provides. We stray; he recovers. He forgives ten billion transgressions; sinless lovingkindness paid for them on the cross. There has never been anyone like Him. In his eternity, in his humiliation, and now in his exaltation, he is Goodness doing good.

                How striking is His call to be like him! “Let us do good to all men,” (Gal. 6:10). When we rise for the day, enter a room, or interact at work, our thought should be: how can I do good? How can I be a blessing to those around me? How can I serve when no one else is willing? When all seek their own interests, how can I seek my Love’s interest in this place?

                Doing good, showing love, being kind are beyond our ability. Unlike our Lord, we are not endless springs of virtue. Yet, we are bound to him, in union with him, and have his Spirit. The Spirit is the Living Water who works all good in us (Gal. 5:22).  He can make us doers of good instead of pouters, a blessing to others instead of sitting on the sidelines, waiting for someone to recognize us or wallow with us in our sorrows.

                Most remarkable is our Lord doing good and being the Man of Sorrows. We use trouble as an excuse; he saw sorrow as an opportunity. He wept with Mary and Martha, as he was raising Lazarus. He was bleeding out his life’s blood for our salvation, and he was thinking of his mother’s pain. To the last, to the searching look at Peter across the courtyard, to his pity to the thief on the cross, to his triumphant cry “Forgive them, Father,” he emptied himself for the good of others.

                You and I live mostly in quiet byways, unheralded interactions, in the pew at church, washing clothes while bandaging knees. Some work glued to computer screens; others have calluses. All share in our Savior’s call to “do good.” By doing good in word and deed, blessing others who perhaps have never been blessed by anyone, we live Christ’s life in the world, out of his fullness, to shine the light of his goodness. Doing good is Christ’s way to conquer sin’s hate, divisiveness, and despair. It is Christ’s way to deny ourselves, find our life in his life, and point others to the Giver of eternal good.