Doing Good

"Do not let yourselves get tired of doing good. If we do not give up, we will get what is coming to us at the right time." Galatians 6:9 NLV. This encouraging statement written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Galatia is as true today as it was when Paul shared it 2,000 years ago. What is it about doing good that would be so hard that people would give up? Is it really a choice that we should have to make? In our minds if we are given two options one with bad consequences and the other with good outcomes do we really have to debate the right choice to make? Unfortunately, at least in my life, making the decision to choose "doing good" over doing what I want to do often makes for a not so positive outcome. How about you? Is doing good a priority in your life?

Paul was without a doubt one of the best coaches of all time. So many instances of Paul encouraging the early Christians to stay the course, never give up, and always choose good over evil. If you put things in perspective, Paul's challenge to the Galatians was a big ask. The Romans were persecuting Christians for their beliefs, the world had condemned and crucified the Son of God, and worldly living was in high gear. It sure would have been a great deal easier to just follow suit. Yet, Paul said don't stop doing what you know is right to do, don't quit serving, helping, giving, and placing others in front of yourself. Don't quit, even when the odds are stacked against you, or when the world view says "go ahead and do what makes you feel good". In those instances, Paul said "do not grow tired of doing good." I'm sure many from the early church were thinking, but why not go ahead and take the easy way out, why would we choose to do good, when it would have been a great deal easier to choose to do what the flesh wanted to do. 

That's just it. Taking the easy way out is like choosing the wide path over the narrow one that Jesus described in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." In other words, you have a choice to make, either take the wide road that offers a wide variance away from what would be deemed "doing good", or choose the narrow road that offers a much tighter selection of options all centered on "doing good". Of course, it is easier to choose what the body wants to do over what we ought to be doing, why do you think there are so many people making New Year's Resolutions about dieting? If you placed a plate of broccoli and a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream in front of me, that's a pretty easy choice I love homemade vanilla ice cream, but is it the "good" choice for my health? Probably not in the long run. That's why it is so hard to keep doing good. We are much more interested in doing what is easy or what feels good, but many times that is exactly the opposite of what the right choice to make is. We get caught in the dilemma of doing what "feels" good instead of choosing to simply "do good". 

The problem is that "doing good" usually relates to something that will benefit others, many times more than it will benefit self. Obviously, doing what "feels good" usually benefits us more than it does others which is where the point of today's message lies. We all face this challenge of choosing to "do good". What we have to realize is that our choice to "do good" is going to have an impact on the lives of others. Family, co-workers, friends, and even those you pass on the street each day on your way to work or school. It isn't easy to always choose to do good, if it was then Paul wouldn't have written the scripture encouraging the Galatians to not give up on doing good. He realized it was a struggle, but a struggle that was worth the fight. Whatever you do, whenever you are faced with a choice, remember it would probably be easier to choose what "feels good" to do, but if we stay the course, if we choose to "do good", we will reap the rewards of our diligence when it is our time to be rewarded. It is time to ask yourself the question, am I living my life for me, or am I living my life for Christ? The life God has provided me is not mine, it is His and I am just a vessel for His use. My prayer is that God will find me worthy to be filled and poured out over and over again. If that happens I believe without a doubt that in due season, I will reap my reward. Thank you Father for the opportunity to serve! 

Choose to DO GOOD!

Coach Carter