There is still good out there, or perhaps I should say acts of compassion, they are few and far between and becoming less frequent, but nevertheless they still exist. They are those invisible things in part that Romans 1:20 speaks of, those things, those words and deeds that are not in our sinful nature, but are the spark, if you will of the goodness of God that resides in all men, for all are created in the image of God.
Even the most callous criminal still retains the ability to express compassion, to show love, but there are many reasons they do not. I read an account once, or my lovely wife read it for me, I cannot recall, that in a large penitentiary, a men’s prison, the warden set aside a day for everyone that wanted one a card to fill out for their mother for Mother’s Day. The response was incredible, and nearly every single one of those incarcerated there filled out a card to be sent to their mother. The prison did the same thing on Father’s Day, there were no takers, or as memory serves me, very, very few. This not to infer that men are less intuitive in their emotions when it comes to their sons, the love is still there, but expressed differently.
A good act is meant for the receiver, the giver asks for nothing in return, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31) If this was applied in this world, along with “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” (Matt. 22:39) would change this world overnight, but that is not going to happen.
If you hold animosity in your heart towards someone, and you are indeed saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I ask you this, if that person is also saved, when you meet them in heaven, what do you suppose your action will be towards them? We will indeed be changed, in a twinkling of an eye for some, (1 Cor. 15:52) but we will still have our memories of this life, taking into account Isaiah 65:17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” our sinful nature will be removed, we will be glorified, we will, for all intents and purposes and with no offense to the Lord God who alone is good, be “good people.” I haven’t been to heaven yet, so I can only offer conjecture on the subject, but my guess is that you will meet them, and ask, nay beg, for their forgiveness. “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:22)
What we will not do here we will do in heaven, “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19) There is compared to the evil in this world very little good, it is a rare thing indeed to witness, but now I must ask you this question, is it a rare thing for you to do? You must consider 1 Corinthians 11:31 here before you answer that question, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
I do not mean the all-around nice guy, the one who still holds doors open for a lady, the one to whom chivalry is not dead, or the woman who lives a life of modesty because it’s the “right thing to do,” but I mean the good news of the Scriptures, the good news of Jesus Christ. It is easy to be a good person, as the world views it, not only in public but in our private lives, it gives us a feeling of worthiness, of accomplishment, even of a pride that the world would not call pride. It is again, in the eyes of the world the opposite of selfishness, but my friends it is not enough.
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Heb. 1:3) I ask you to consider this verse, He healed many, he had a compassion that none have or ever will match, He is God Himself, yet He said, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Mark 10:18) You can’t be good enough, no matter how much you try, but you can be accepted just as you are, if you call upon the Lord right where you are. Then the good deeds that you do will be for the glory of God, and no matter what the world sees you as, the Lord will see you as you are to be, good for His sake.
