Paul continues his challenge for us, as Christ followers, to live our faith, to act differently, act more kindly and lovingly than people who do not follow Jesus and who are not filled by God’s Spirit.
My heart latched onto Paul’s one-sentence call of duty. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (10).
Doing good to all people… that’s what God asks of us. I pondered the elements of that sentence.
Doing Good: being kind, loving, holding my tongue, helping people, putting self aside to care for others. Yesterday’s description of the fruit of a converted life … love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22-23) filled my thoughts as I tried to picture doing good. It is a tall order but one God has graced us to fulfill.
To All people: this is staggering. I am to do good to people I like and people I don’t like. I am to do good to people I know and strangers who cross my path. I am to do good to people who look like me and people who are very different from me.
This is an incredible call to Christ followers…
And it is all the more challenging in our present world of discord, derision and division. We, the Church of Jesus, should be leading the way to smoothing the present discord by loving others, all others.
It is easiest for me to consider other people, but the nudge of my heart is to take a hard look at my own life. Am I a ‘good doer’? Do I rank and order those I care for and those I do not? When I see a need do I try to fill it, or simply pass by?
These are tough questions because I am such a mixed bag…
Oh, God, help me to be a good doer! Help me to do so, so that Your light within me will shine brightly and point people to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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