Mostly Good

I use the word “good” to describe anything from the weather, to tacos to morality and ethics. Most of the time I speak of "good" as a relative idea. I think, "I am not that bad, I am better than that guy over there.” The problem is when I use my relative defination of what is "good" in my encounter with God. I assume that because I am “mostly good” or better than another I am acceptable to God. There is a great danger in evaluating my life and concluding that "I am not that bad," therefore I must be acceptable to God. My "goodness" relative to God is real bad.

Simply put, my offence to a “good” God is the fact that I am not “good.” Why is this an offense? Because in the beginning God created man and woman in his image. We of all creation were created to bear the very image of God. It is in humanity that the glory of God’s character is to be displayed. His Mercy and compassion, his grace and love his and HIS GOODNESS. Since Genesis 3 mankind no longer reflects perfectly the beauty of God’s character. Sure there are glimpses of it in humanity but at best they are like roadside bathroom mirror reflections of God’s glory. All mankind, once image bearers of the beauty of God’s glory, has gone it’s own way leaving a dirty and distorted picture of God in the faces of His highest creation.

So the next time that someone asks, "how you are doing?" Don't just thoughtlessly reply, "good."

Might I suggest something like, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

or if that seems too thoughtful perhaps a smile and a "mostly good" would be appropriate.