I don't want to be good

We rotate who brings a thought from God's Word each week at staff meeting. A few weeks ago John Duval brought up a thought that has stuck in my mind since that time [that's me to the left ... pondering]. Maybe because it was something that challenged me to the core of who I am. John's challenge was that we would be Godly and not just good.

I thought back to my childhood. I was a good kid. I didn't cause my mom and dad any (OK, much) trouble. I was always the teacher's pet. I usually won the sportsmanship award in whatever sports league in which I played. I even said, "Yes Ma'am" and "Yes Sir". [For those of you that may not know, that is the way those of us with manners refer to people who are older or are in a position that is to be respected. This is now a foreign concept.]

But it is this "goodness" that can get in the way. It can get in the way of our desire to become Godly. If we are not careful, we can settle for being good and never make it to Godly. One area this has really challenged me is raising children that are Godly and not children that are good. This was an area in which John challenged us. My girls are now in college. Much of their "raising" is behind us. I am grateful they have turned out to be godly girls, but I'm sure that is more attributable to God's grace (and their mother) than any intentionality on my part. I wanted them to be good. If they were good, they would not be an embarassment to their mother and me. If they were good, they would have a better chance of pleasing their teachers and thus (in my mind) have a better shot at doing well in school. If they were good, they would be liked. If they were good, they would have good friends. On and on the list goes.

But if they were Godly? If they were Godly, they would be all of the above, but more than that. They would be people who would seek God with all their heart, mind, and strength. They would love Him and serve Him above all. They would passionately worship Him.

I thank God for Godly girls, but I wonder what would I have changed about my parenting with this thought in mind 15 or 20 years ago. How would the conversations have changed around the dinner table if I were more focused on raising Godly kids than raising good kids?

Actually, come to think of it, being good could be the very thing that puts some people on the fast track to eternity in Hell. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ ["We were good!!!"] 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’ [Ooops!!!]

I don't want to be good. I want to be Godly!