No one is good.

Photo credits: Goodnewsunlimited.com

Matthew 19:17 (KJV): “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

If we read the scripture above carefully, the truth is clear: we are not inherently good. What else could “there is none good but one—God” mean?

It means no man is good.

When we take time to reflect on hard truths, we benefit from them. This is one such truth.

The meaning embedded in this verse can only be truly discerned by a humble and wise Christian, not a proud “Pharisee.”

This verse comes from a conversation between Jesus Christ and the young, rich ruler, who had called Him “Good Master.” I suspect the young man spoke out of admiration.

He had seen the good works Christ had done. He might have heard His wise and encouraging words that had changed people’s lives.

To him, Jesus was indeed a “Good Master,” and he wanted to express his compliment, but Jesus’ response was a shocker to him:

“Why call me good?”

Wasn’t it obvious that Christ had done good enough to deserve the title?, The young man might have wondered.

Jesus continued, “There is none good but one, that is God…” and the conversation went on.

This response caught him off guard. He could not comprehend Christ’s humility. Perhaps he had hoped to coax Jesus into giving an easy answer to the questions he asked( about getting to the kingdom of God).

Jesus knew the truth could not and should not be twisted, not even to flatter Him. The truth is absolute: you either accept it or you don’t ( The kingdom of God will cost him obedience to God’s commandments, especially that part of letting go of his riches)

Excerpting the lessons from matt. 19: 17 would be quite difficult for any Christian wearing a robe of self righteousness with specks of pride.

As followers of Christ, we have a model in Him. We are not only to bear His name but also to live it out.

When we examine the life of Christ, we see that He never took the credits that belonged to God. Whatever He accomplished, he ensured all glory was returned to the Father.

Whenever we perform good works, we should not bask in the showers of praises that might stem from it . Any recognition or accolades should always be directed to God.

As Christians, the good we do is not truly our own—it is Christ in us acting through us. All the credits belong to God through Christ.

Whenever you feel tempted to desire commendations for a good deed you’ve done, remember it is not your doing, but Christ working in and through you.

Jesus also said we should consider ourselves unprofitable servants once we have done what we were commanded (Luke 17:10). Our good works are a duty, not a favor. Let Christ remain at the center of everything we do.

When we perform acts of kindness, whether they are acknowledged or not, let’s train ourselves to yearn for God’s appraisal within our spirits. It is the greatest compliment we can ever receive.

It is always best when God acknowledges us himself.

No matter how others praise your decency, purity, kindness, charity, hard work, or goodness, do not take the credits. Those characteristics aren’t yours; They are the manifestations of Christ in you. All glory must go to God.

Taking pride in the attributes that belong to Christ can cause a fall from grace, just like Lucifer did.

In addition, let us not judge others because of their wayward lifestyles. If not for Christ in us, who knows, we might be worse. It is our responsibility to intercede on their behalf until the goodness of Christ is manifested in them.

Let our good works solely flow from the goodness of Christ within us—not because we think we are “nice,” “empathetic,” or “good.”

On our own, we are not good.

No one is good.

Whatever good thing we do, isn’t from us but from God.

Self righteousness is best displayed as rags before God, so what’s there to take pride in?

Perhaps you have locked in your bowels of kindness because no one appreciated you. It’s high time you understood that God is the source of your ” bowels of kindness” and as long as the sun still shines on both the good and evil, you will continue doing good, like God will.

We will always be as good as Christ who dwells in us and reflect God’s goodness through us, when we obey his commandments.

God bless us.