Do Gooders

Psalm 34:14

“Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

That’s what it says. Do Good.

Kinda vague don’t you think?

I mean, what is good? At a basic level, “good” is the word God chooses to describe creation in its wholeness and completeness. “And God said, ‘That’s good’.” Wholeness and completeness within the purposes of God’s goodness, by the way, is probably a better translation of the word shalom which appears in our translation as “peace.” Peace is less of a mouthful, but the concept of shalom is rich and more complex than the translation “peace” might suggest. Shalom really has to do with the will of God for a broken and fallen creation, it has to do with a loving God calling us back into the wholeness we once had in God’s presence, it has to do with being restored to a state of “goodness.”

“Depart from evil.” Stop following the trajectory of your fall, stop basing your purpose and potential on your brokenness, stop assuming that dissonance and disarray are the baseline for creation. “Depart from evil and do good.” Goodness is the baseline for creation. Goodness is the baseline for creation and the finish line. It is where we began, and it is where we shall all return in the grand scheme of God’s purposes. “Depart from evil and do good; seek peace.” Seek out shalom, seek out these purposes, seek out the wholeness and healing God intends for creation, for nations, for communities, for families, for your soul and participate. This requires us to connect: with creation, with new people, and to make these connections in ways that uplift, heal, celebrate, and set free. To participate in that which is “good.”

This brings us back to the question, “What is good?” This summer’s theme out at Camp Hanover is Micah 6:8, in which the prophet tackles this exact question right off the bat. “What is good?” “God has told you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

God tells us what is good.

This is an immeasurably important aspect of our calling to “do good.” We, human beings, mortals, do not get to determine what is good. We do not tell God what is good. God tells us.

Could you imagine if this were the other way around, if we got to determine what was good enough? In a way, this is what the advertising industry is all about: humans telling humans what is good. “Sprite has told you, O consumer, what is good. And what does your thirst require of you but to ‘Obey it’?” “McDonald’s has told you what is good. And what does Ronald require of you but to have a burger and fries, and to ‘love it’ (Ba-da-da-da-daaa).” “Capital One has told you, O Banker, what is good: to have the right card in your wallet.” Determining what is good and right and just is also the basis of government. “Your nation has told you, O Patriot, what is good. And what does the law require of you, but to pay taxes, bolster the economy, support your military…” It could go on and on.

We were reminded last week, however, of just how often our sense of what is good sets us against one another and distances us from our neighbors. How often does the pursuit of what we deem to be good lead us into conflict and disconnection from God’s purposes? This is why it’s so important that we allow God to determine what is good, only then can week seek and pursue shalom.

Okay, so God tells us that “justice, kindness, and humility” are good; anything else? I remember an occasion in Jesus’ ministry when the disciples are seeking their own sense of “goodness,” arguing over who among them is the greatest. Jesus gathers them around and takes a child into his arms. “Whoever wants to be great, must become like this child. Whoever welcomes one such child welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” What is good? I’d say welcoming 100-such children into the embrace of Jesus is pretty good.

I might even go so far as to say it’s super-good.

I am so excited to watch you welcome, and connect with, and teach, and love the children of Vacation Bible School. I’m also excited for what they will teach you. This is, indeed, what God says is good. You will become their heroes and role models; many of you already are. You will also start them off on the path of asking this question for themselves: “What is good?” You will begin to help them find the relevance of the Gospel to their own lives. Gospel, of course, is just another way of saying Good News. Can you imagine the difference you’re making in these lives as you begin to teach children how to distinguish between what their peers say is “good” and what God says is “good”? This really is something super that you do. I am so proud of you.

I recall the words of Paul to his friends in the church of Philippi. “I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the Good News from the time you first believed it until now.”