DOING GOOD

Many of us in the American culture are filled and busy with getting goods and being right. With a life full of the ‘American dream’ there is little time for any other dream, especially the dream of changing the world by doing good and right things. As long as this ‘American Dream’ model traps us there is not much time, money, energy or interest for anyone or anything else other than ourselves.

The opposing view is the Kingdom Dream model. This is the crazy idea of Self-Donation… giving ourselves away at various levels for the good of others. There is always a high cost for even thinking such thoughts and even more cost when actions follow such thoughts. If we are hesitant about what we want to give, and to whom, and to what… doing good may be for ourselves and not others. We could even become precision and calculated givers and do-gooders.

Doing good can become a programmed tendency rather than a personal tendency. Perhaps we need to drop our religion and grab our reason. Doing good must be as deliberate as it is thoughtless, reckless and oblivious. It is just the way it is. Only the Holy Spirit can change us into these kinds of people. To do good freely is just that… to do good freely.

“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth; they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Jesus