All the good it does...

Read Isaiah 64

"You welcome those who gladly do good,
    who follow godly ways.
But you have been very angry with us,
    for we are not godly.
We are constant sinners;
    how can people like us be saved?
We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,"

The concept of being a neighbor, of being a "good" person, is alien to my natural inclinations. Yes, most people see me as a nice person, a "good" guy, but they don't see how I have to work at it. Inside, I'm a sarcastic, cynical jerk.

Just a few nights ago at work, a co-worker said something to me, and I immediately took offense. My first inward thought was; "Why is she being so nasty to me?" It started to rankle, but I had to force my own feelings aside. My thoughts then turned to "Is there something I have done that has caused a problem?" Of course, this was also a selfish response, because I was still thinking about me. When I did eventually say something, it was simply to ask if she was ok, because she didn't seem like herself. Do you know, she was so grateful that someone noticed? She had been in pain all day from arthritis and was really suffering. This allowed me to have an opportunity to truly minister to her.

This goodness is attributable solely to the work of God in my life. This is a multi-faceted work. As a disciple of Christ, there are many things that work together to help fight the natural inclinations that fight against the goodness of God. These factors include the impact of many Godly men and women (including parents), knowledge of the Word of God, and repeated time spent in prayer and meditation. It's not me, it's Him.

When we think of someone as a good person, we do not see their inward motivations. The prophet juxtaposes God's welcome for those who do good with the realization that our own goodness pales in comparison to the goodness of God Himself. His goodness is far beyond our ability to conceive, let alone copy.

But...

There is hope.

While in Romans, the Apostle Paul writes that all have sinned, in Ephesians 2:8-10 he clarifies that the gift of Christ, salvation through the blood is there, to enable us to do good.

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

See, like the Word says; "it's not me, it's Him."