“Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” (Ps 23:6)
This verse from Psalm 23 is familiar to many of us. David tells of the graces bestowed upon him by God. These same gifts are available to us. But how do we get them? Perhaps the answer lies in this, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good.” (Lk 6:45)
Yes, we reap what we sow. The more good we do for others, the more we will receive. It’s that simple.
So where do we begin? We look for ways to do what will benefit others. Throughout the day, many opportunities present themselves to allow us to do just that. It may begin in our homes just after awakening. We might help in preparation of breakfast for other family members or assist children in getting ready for school.
If we are out in public, we might practice some common courtesies, such as opening a door for someone or letting someone change lanes in front of us, or helping someone with carrying packages. For some of us these might be old-fashioned ideas, but being courteous never goes out of style.
At work, helping a fellow worker with an assignment, in order for him or her to meet a deadline, goes a long way to building up a “store of goodness”.
It seems that every day when the mail comes, an occasion presents itself to do good in the form of making a contribution to a worthy cause.
Other works of mercy that provide ample chances for us to do good are by directly or indirectly feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, burying the dead, and giving alms to the poor.
Our ability to do good is only limited by our desire to do so. It is not measured in how much we give, but whether we give; not by what we do good, but whether or not we do it unselfishly; not by where we do it, but did we go the extra mile? Our goal is to be a blessing to others, without considering, “What’s in it for us or what’s it going to cost us in time, money or effort?”
Maybe we do this not even realizing the confirming words given to us in Hebrews 13:16, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.”
Yes, God is pleased by our sacrifices no matter how small. Remember, Christ made the ultimate sacrifice of his life for us; and while he doesn’t generally ask the same of us, he does expect us to live as he lived, always showing his love for his people.
Remember, goodness and love will pursue us if we do good because, “Whoever does what is good is of God,” (3 John:11) and God is love.
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