"My Goodness!"

Have you ever tried to define goodness? I never really thought about it before until I was reading again in the book mentioned in my last post.

If you are like me, goodness is defined by the good things we do. Goodness would mean things like dropping off old clothing to the Salvation Army, helping an elderly neighbor shovel snow off their sidewalk, delivering food to a needy family, holding a door open for someone, etc. These are good things to do, and they should be done, but do these things really define goodness?

Consider the story about the rich ruler in Mark 10:

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone."

Ok, now read that again and notice where I place an emphasis:

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone."

My goodness! (Oh, and where did that saying ever come from?) Isn't it just like Jesus to respond in such a way as to point out an eternal truth that only those really listening would hear and understand? I don't know how many times I've read that story over the years and never really noticed how Jesus was answering the young man essentially by saying "Doing good isn't the same as being good. Only God, and God alone, is good." I understand the concept, but never saw how subtle Jesus was about making this truth known to those watching that scene unfold.

So when Jesus told the young ruler what he could do to inherit eternal life, the ruler realized that even though he followed the Commandments, he still couldn't do what Jesus told him he needed to do. He wasn't good enough. The young man walked away sad.

No one can do anything to inherit eternal life. Eternal life isn't something you can earn by doing good things. No one is good enough. That is the point Jesus was making!

If we could earn eternal life then evil people could earn it too, because evil people can do good. Rich evil people could probably do even more "good"! Hitler's favorite pose for the camera was with furry animals and/or children, Idi Amin would tear up while listening to sad stories and even Stalin was kind to his daughters. Evil people can do good! "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13)

In God's eyes we all fall short.

I wonder if weeks, months, years later...if that rich young ruler dude ever understood the lesson he was taught that one day?