Do Good
Let’s read Psalm 37:3 again. David writes: “Trust in the LORD and do good.” (Psalm 37:3 NIV11)
One of the great debates down through the ages has been about what place good works have in our faith. When Paul claimed that salvation is by faith through grace, not by works (that’s Ephesians 2:8-9), he seemed to be saying that there’s no need to do good, just trust in Jesus. Works are irrelevant.
But then James, the brother of Jesus, comes along and says “Faith without works is dead” in chapter 2 of his letter. He makes the claim that believing without doing good is useless (v20). And in verse 24 he actually states: “a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.”
Faith Plus Works
I suppose this is what David was saying all those years earlier, when he said “trust in the Lord and do good.” It is both we are called to – trust in God and what He can do, and a life of passionate action, doing the things God calls us to do.
I like the way Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher, said it: “It is wretched business for a man to call himself a Christian, and have a soul which never peeps out from between his own ribs. It is horrible to be living to be saved, living to get to heaven, living to enjoy religion, and yet never live to bless others or ease the misery of a moaning world.”
What are you living for? To enjoy God’s grace, His mercy, His forgiveness? Good! Are you living with an expectation of heaven? Good! But I ask you: are you living to bless and help others? Are you living to embody the love of Jesus? Are you living to transform this world by the things you do?
Opportunities For Good
An elderly woman boarded a train looking nervous and out of place. When the conductor saw her ticket, he barked harshly, "You're on the wrong train! We don't stop at your town—you'll have to ride to Scranton and catch a train back tonight!"
The poor woman turned pale, rubbing her hands in panic. But the young man beside her caught her attention. "This isn't so bad," he said gently. "I've taken the wrong train twice myself. There's a local train from Scranton that will get you home. Don’t worry, everything will be ok."
Her fear melted away, and soon he had her laughing at one of his funny stories.
Later, when the woman had left the train, another passenger asked the young man if she was a relative. "No sir, I've never seen her before," he said.
"Then why help her?"
He hesitated, then explained: "Eight months ago, I promised my Master I'd do at least one little service for Him every day. I was worried about today since I'd been traveling all morning—then I heard that harsh conductor."
Friends, what opportunities might you have to do good today? Have faith, and trust God, but don’t neglect the great duty you have to do good in His name wherever you are.
