Ten Challenges to Being Good (in order of difficulty)

Genesis 12:10-20 HCSB There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. (11) When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. (12) When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me but let you live. (13) Please say you're my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account." (14) When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. (15) Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. (16) He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels. (17) But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with severe plagues because of Abram's wife Sarai. (18) So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? (19) Why did you say, 'She's my sister,' so that I took her as my wife? Now, here's your wife. Take her and go!" (20) Then Pharaoh gave his men orders about him, and they sent him away, with his wife and all he had.

Being good is tough! It’s sometimes hard to know what being good means. It’s like the old saying, “Silence is generally golden – but sometimes it’s just plain yellow.” How do you discern when “discretion is the better part of valor” or when it’s merely cowardice disguised as judiciousness?

Our spiritual ancestor Abraham apparently struggled with this. This same man was willing to face down five kings in order to recapture his kidnapped nephew. Yet here, he asks his wife to lie and put herself at risk, lest he might endanger himself!

Apparently, even the Apostle Paul wrestled with the meaning and application of goodness from time to time for he said,

· Romans 7:14-19 HCSB For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin's power. (15) For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. (16) And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. (17) So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. (18) For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. (19) For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.

I have publicly stated on numerous times that I am working toward becoming a tzaddik (a righteous and holy person who dedicates themselves to establishing peace between God and man and between men). I know that in Christ, my “righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees” but I want to experience not only the grace of imputed righteousness, but the joy of personal and practical righteousness as well. Color me ambitious perhaps, but there you have it.

In my attempts at practical holiness, I have often stumbled. Sometimes it was because I struggled with and lost to my yetzer hara. Just as often, I seriously did not know what “the right thing” was!

I’d like to share with you ten things that I have found to be particularly pernicious problems in my path toward becoming a tzaddik. I’m going to begin with the ones I seem to struggle with the least, and work my way toward those things I find the most difficult.

1. Standing up against violence.

· Proverbs 24:11-12 HCSB Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. (12) If you say, "But we didn't know about this," won't He who weighs hearts consider it? Won't He who protects your life know? Won't He repay a person according to his work?

Though, I confess to some residual fear in the face of pain and physical confrontation, I have been through enough of it to know that in the moment of crisis I can rise to the occasion and do what must be done regardless of the cost. Still, I still have to push myself to say those things that might not be well received; to correct those behaviors that while unhealthy for the congregation are still beloved by the individual and will more than likely earn me a place in this persons black list for years.

2. Not coveting.

· Deuteronomy 5:21 HCSB Do not desire your neighbor's wife or covet your neighbor's house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

· James 3:16 HCSB For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.

· James 4:1-3 HCSB What is the source of the wars and the fights among you? Don't they come from the cravings that are at war within you? (2) You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. (3) You ask and don't receive because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your desires for pleasure.

I rarely, if ever, covet things; so, as far as I’m concerned, your donkeys and houses are safe with me. I tend to covet knowledge, skill, and talents. So, James’ warning against envy and ambition are more along my lines of sinfulness. Still, like my dad always told me, “Son – you can’t help but be ugly, but you can always borrow brains.” As long as I can find ways to enlist the aid of those who have talents and skills that I lack, I can beat back my covetous spirit.

3. Exercising common sense.

· Proverbs 8:5 HCSB Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

· Proverbs 15:32-33 HCSB Anyone who ignores instruction despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense. (33) The fear of the LORD is wisdom's instruction, and humility comes before honor.

· Proverbs 19:8 HCSB The one who acquires good sense loves himself; one who safeguards understanding finds success.

The problem I have is that “common sense” is defined as sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence. “Normal NATIVE intelligence”, though not intended to mean native in the sense of local to a geographic area, is nevertheless true enough. I have found that common sense is different in Africa than it is in Canada. The southern construction worker identifies common sense in a different way than the Midwestern farmer does. Therein lies the difficulty. Common sense, as often as not, involves unwritten rules that have developed over such a long period of time that they no longer need defining to the locals. However, when the outsider comes along? Ah – now that’s trouble just waiting.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Why didn’t you know that? Surely you could see that? That’s just common sense!” Furthermore, I have to humbly apologize, try to determine where the problem lies and adjust. The solution seems to be James’ exhortation to be slow to speak and swift to listen.

4. Following the ways of peace.

· Proverbs 3:17 HCSB Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful.

· Matthew 5:9 HCSB Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.

· Romans 12:17-21 HCSB Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone's eyes. (18) If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. (19) Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. (20) But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. (21) Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Now we’re starting to get into my real problems. My problem is not so much the DESIRE to follow the ways of peace as it is the ability to PERCEIVE the ways of peace. I would love to be a peace maker. I just don’t always know what steps are appropriate. When do I speak out? When do I let things go? If I let things go, at what point will I cross the line over from “Let sleeping dogs lie” into cowardice?

5. Being my brother’s keeper.

· Genesis 4:9 HCSB Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's guardian?"

· Galatians 6:1-5 HCSB Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won't be tempted also. (2) Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (3) For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. (4) But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. (5) For each person will have to carry his own load.

· Philippians 2:3-4 HCSB Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. (4) Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Being an independent cuss myself, I have a hard time WANTING to be my brother’s keeper. I don’t want all your problems. I can barely take all your joys! It’s emotionally exhausting. It’s physically draining. And frankly, in my flesh, I’m a solitary person. However, I know the call and I recognize the need and I step up to it; but it’s tough.

6. Being positively holy rather than negatively holy.

· Leviticus 19:2-3 HCSB "Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. (3) "Each of you is to respect his mother and father. You are to keep My Sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.

· Luke 11:46-52 HCSB Then He said: "Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you yourselves don't touch these burdens with one of your fingers. (47) "Woe to you! You build monuments to the prophets, and your fathers killed them. (48) Therefore you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments. (49) Because of this, the wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' (50) so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world-- (51) from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. "Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible. (52) "Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge! You didn't go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in."

· Colossians 2:16-23 HCSB Therefore don't let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a sabbath day. (17) These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah. (18) Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his fleshly mind. (19) He doesn't hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God. (20) If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: (21) "Don't handle, don't taste, don't touch"? (22) All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. (23) Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value against fleshly indulgence.

Here again, it is far too easy to fall into the habit of “negative holiness.” What do I mean by “negative holiness”? I mean the approach many take that goes like “I don’t drink and I don’t chew and I don’t go with girls who do.” However, not doing evil is not as good as actually doing good. Negative holiness may keep you from doing harm, but it does not actually enhance life. However, I often find it difficult to differentiate positive good from negative good. For instance, clearly and categorically stating that homosexuality or sex outside of marriage is harmful to one’s self is doing a person a positive good. You are warning them away from potential harm. However, it is done in a negative manner. You see what I mean? It is easy to fall into the habit of negative holiness. The best way that I’ve been able to avoid the problem is:

a. to make sure that I present negative truths in as positive a manner as possible;

b. to make sure that the person I’m dealing with know that I love them and am seeking their good;

c. and to make sure that I am living what I’m saying.

7. Doing what is right in the sight of the Lord.

· Deuteronomy 6:18 HCSB Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that you may prosper and so that you may enter and possess the good land the LORD your God swore to give your fathers,

We could also consider Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 12:25; 1 Kings 11:38; Isaiah 56:1; Ezekiel 45:9; or Philemon 1:8. Again and again Adonai has urged us to do what is right in His eyes.

· 2 Corinthians 13:5-7 HCSB Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless you fail the test. (6) And I hope you will recognize that we are not failing the test. (7) Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong, not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.

· 1 John 3:10 HCSB This is how God's children--and the Devil's children--are made evident. Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother.

“Doing right” is so important that it is part and parcel with being truly ransomed! If I cannot do what is right on a fairly consistent basis then I need to test myself to determine if I am even in the Faith!

The difficulty (for me at least) is often determining what is right “in the sight of the Lord.” I unfortunately do not think like Him. His thoughts are a different from mine as the heavens are high above the earth.

· Isaiah 55:8-9 HCSB "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways." This is the LORD's declaration. (9) "For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Fortunately, God understands our dilemma and has provided a way. Look at the very next verses there in Isaiah.

· Isaiah 55:10-12 HCSB For just as rain and snow fall from heaven, and do not return there without saturating the earth, and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, (11) so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and will prosper in what I send it to do." (12) You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

8. Going by the intent of the law rather than the letter of the law.

· Deuteronomy 27:26 HCSB 'Cursed is anyone who does not put the words of this law into practice.' And all the people will say, 'Amen!'

· Proverbs 2:20 HCSB So follow the way of good people, and keep to the paths of the righteous.

· 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 HCSB not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. (6) He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.

· John 6:63 HCSB The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn't help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

The problem here is the issue of exercising balance and good judgment. Most of Hashem’s mitzvoth require interpretation. We all know that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but what does that mean? Many things. It means to not covet his things. It means to put his good before my own. It means being able to courageously speak the truth to him even when he may not appreciate it. It means speaking that truth in as gracious and well-presented manner as possible. So, we’ve gone from a simple statement, “love your neighbor as yourself” and very quickly come to many, varied and subtle applications.

However, the problem is just like the last point where the difficulty is in distinguishing between our will and the Lord’s. Again, the Holy Scriptures come to the rescue. We must take the principles that are taught and see how they are applied. For instance, we know that it is generally wrong to lie, and yet Rahab was blessed for lying. When we determine why, we will better understand the spirit of the law. We know that the shew bread was reserved for the priesthood and yet David and his men ate of it unharmed. When we grasp why we will better understand the spirit or intent of the law. Being able to do that is critical to being able to apply the law in our modern, complicated and convoluted world.

9. Determining and enabling justice.

· Exodus 23:2-3 HCSB "You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice. (3) Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.

· Deuteronomy 16:19-20 HCSB Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. (20) Pursue justice and justice alone, so that you will live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.

· 2 Samuel 8:15 HCSB So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

· 1 Kings 3:11-12 HCSB So God said to him, "Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to understand justice, (12) I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.

The problems just keep mounting. We first have the difficulty of determining what is just. Let me give you an illustration. A lot of people opposed sweatshops and child labor. So, they boycotted some shoes that were being sold in a popular chain of stores because it was discovered they were made by children who worked in sweat shops in third world countries. The boycott was wildly successful. The chain found it nearly impossible to sell the shoes. So, they closed down the factories where the shoes were made. Unfortunately, all the children who worked in those factories, now had no income and many died of hunger. Those who did not die of hunger died of AIDS or drug related illnesses as they turned to prostitution to feed themselves.

The difficulty of determining the right thing to do is often only surmounted by the difficulty of knowing what to do about it. Here, the Scriptures advise careful examination and systematic research. It suggests being open to new ideas and the ability to flex with the circumstances and the Spirit’s leading. It further advises the counsel of many wise and knowledgeable advisors. It further commands a humble and prayerful spirit.

10. Learning to be humble.

· Deuteronomy 8:2 HCSB Remember that the LORD your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.

· Ecclesiastes 7:16 HCSB Don't be excessively righteous, and don't be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

· Romans 12:3 HCSB For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.

· Romans 12:16 HCSB Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

· 1 Peter 5:6 HCSB Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time,

At last, we come to what I personally find to be the greatest challenge. It is not that I am more arrogant or pride infested than the average bear. It is that this step lies so closely to the principle struggle with the yetzer hara that I, like Paul, often despair of accomplishing the task and cry out “Who will save me from this wretched state?” Fortunately, I don’t have to worry too much about this last difficulty because I have a wise and loving Father who is very good about introducing “thorns in the flesh” and “various trials” in order to keep me humble and improve my character. The main thing I have to do is to be patient in trial and gracious in my handicaps so that I can get the full benefit of Adonai’s ministrations.

Conclusion: I am grateful to know that father Abraham struggled with many of these same problems. I am more grateful to know that I have a High Priest who empathizes with my wrestling with the yetzer hara and is fully capable of saving me in spite of myself.