Pursuing a Good Life

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly [or prudently] with your God” (Micah 6:8).

I have been pondering recently what it takes to be good and to have a good life, motivated in part by the shocking number of Americans who support the idea of socialism, the crazy ideas of candidates who promote so-called “democratic socialism,” and those who seem to have embraced a self-centered and narcissistic lifestyle. Never mind that their dreams are virtually certain to end in a nightmare. My question for Christians is “Are you committed to a good life? Do you know what that should be?”

Micah 6:8 has three clear elements: act justly, love mercy, walk humbly (or prudently). This isn't merely demanding justice of or for others; this is being just and living by acting justly, mercifully, and humbly. This is what righteous living is really all about, doing what is right and acting rightly toward others. In that sense, it isn't surprising Jesus said that loving one's neighbors is the greatest command.

This promise from Proverbs 21:21 is another great summary of a good life along with what we might call motivational rewards: "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Combined with James 3:17, these are also recipe for a good and profitable life: "Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." In one very important sense, all are gifts from God, but it remains for us to live in and for righteousness, love, and wisdom.

Years ago, longer than I recall, I read Solomon's story, and I was inspired to follow his example and pray for wisdom. I continue to pray for wisdom to this day, and I have found God to be remarkably faithful in his answer. Because I tend to be a caring person, I am motivated to help others; but to do so, wisdom is critically important. Wisdom has taught me to keep my opinions to myself, to draw people out and to help them determine the wisest course of action, often with a minimum of hinting or prodding from me. My writing, I believe, also reveals God's wisdom, such that my later reading even surprises me with what I find, even though I put those very words together.

Choosing to live in righteousness, love, and wisdom not only results in a “good and profitable life,” it also tempers our handling of truth. Truth is essential to character, honesty, integrity, and both right belief and righteous behavior, and truth is the key to right thinking. Truth is NOT a club to beat those who disagree into agreement. This is probably why Jesus identified loving our neighbor as an essential part of the greatest commandment. Jesus also said, “...if you abide in my words, you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” We are to learn and apply the truth in our own lives, to live in truth and speak truthfully, even share the truth in love; we are NEVER to forsake love to demand from or impose truth on another, especially since we are often not accurate in our understanding of truth (hence, the need for humility!).

I was also a young guy, just into high school, when I preached my first sermon for a youth Sunday. My text was I Corinthians 13, and thus I have understood for nearly 50 years that love is an essential part of a good life. Jesus said that loving God and one's neighbor are the top priority, and Paul wrote that with no love (or distorted love or love wrongly understood), nothing of life or ministry has value. Literally a life without love, ie caring, compassion, kindness,and helpfulness, is empty!

So what about sin? What about the 10 commandments? I'm not ignoring them, but I believe disciples of Christ should aim positively according to such principles as above. Using a list of sins to guide one's life makes that list the objective, and many today perceive Christians by that kind of living, a life of do's and mostly don't s. As for the Decalogue, we should probably see those 10 instructions along the lines of “If you seek to love God, then heed the first four commands”, and “If you would love you neighbor as yourself, then you will surely want to follow commands 5-10. In fact, Paul makes this very point in Romans13:9-10: “The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' “You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Ultimately love is more than these, though we dare not ignore them. Just as with a person's own children, good parents begin by teaching them and requiring them not to do certain things, but in the end the goal is to do well in life. That is God's desire, too.

I believe it is reasonable to say that these various concise directions on how to live pretty much go to the same place, as does this, “Be holy because I am holy.” This pretty much synonymous with, “Be Christlike” or “Be godly.” Righteousness, love, wisdom, goodness, godliness, holiness, and Christlikeness all should take us to the same place: a life worth living, a life that blesses other people, a life that honors God, a life that is worthy of heaven even though our getting there depends on salvation in Christ based on God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness, not on what we do or have done on our own. Indeed, one of my favorite passages reads:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

So all those admirable principles/qualities boil down to “good works” that God intended for us to do AFTER he gave us his most precious gift of salvation. This is not to say our participation is passive or that we become God's puppets, Paul also wrote:

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 

God not only created us FOR good works; he continues to work in us to DO good works, using our efforts to complete his divine purpose. What a glorious partnership it is!

Perhaps you have noticed something missing here. Indeed, there is much, much more we could include in this discussion, but even a mere introduction might appropriately conclude with this:

In the midst of larger discussion about his mission of sacrificial salvation, he spoke of us, his sheep: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (verse 10, earlier translations render that last, “have it more abundantly” which I like). In other words, the good life that Jesus came to give us isn't merely a worthwhile life, it should be a rich, productive, and meaningful life, which includes using one's God-given gifts to find personal worth and satisfaction as well as to bless and benefit others.

Love for This Holy Day

     So it's Valentine's Day, and it's all about love, right?  Or perhaps we should say romance or maybe even lust.  The card companies used to make a lot of money off Valentine's Day, but perhaps not so much, given the Internet and social media.  Candy and flowers probably still do well, and restaurants and the like a quite busy!  But what about love?
     For Christians, this is what should separate us from nearly all otherwise religious people: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Mathew 5:43-45). 
     Love your enemy, huh?  I bet you never heard that suggested for Valentine's Day.  How many people, people not pretty, not buff, not smart, not normal, how many of them get to enjoy Valentine's Day?  I'm a 70-year-old bachelor, so not much romance for me, not for quite some time.
     As a pastor, preacher, teacher, write, and counselor, I've always talked about agape love.  Agape is the Greek word for God's love, which is compassionate, unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial.  Jesus set the example, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Saving through his grace, he not only saves but turn enemies into friends...brothers and sisters. One piece of American history makes me especially proud, as we have done this, rather than perpetuating war, we have turned former enemies into friends and allies. For nations and tribes and some religions, this is nearly impossible, but with God, all things are possible.
     So, not just for Valentine's Day, but for every day, make sure you love like Jesus loved and commanded us to do.  Yes, love our husband, wife, daughter, son, parents and other family, love friends, neighbors, fellow believers, and, yes, even enemies.  What about romance?  What could better set one's heart to beating that this?  What about sex?  That, too, works out better when agape love is the overarching emotion and motivation.  What about when love seems to have departed a relationship, even a marriage?  Even if hatred seems to have invaded where love was or perhaps only seemed to be, agape in the spirit of Jesus can turn things around.
     In that spirit, may I say, "Happy, loving Valentine's Day!"