… one who loves what is good …
Summary: Analytical personalities are not often gifted with the ability to “see” with the heart. Yet an overseer of God’s church must be able to do that, and to love what is good.
If you haven’t noticed by now, my personality tends towards the analytical side. I like to take things apart and see how they work. One of my favorite memories as a kid was the day when my mom got a new washer and dryer. I wasn’t excited about the new washer or dryer. I was excited because I got to have the old ones.
Using my dad’s tool kit, I started taking them apart. Bit by bit, the old appliances gave up their secrets. I learned how the white metal panels were attached. I plumbed the depths of what are now considered antique electronics. Switches, wiring, timers, and lights all came apart. Next came the relays and control valves. Finally, out came the mechanical works that did all the heavy lifting. Motors, clutches, pulleys, bearings, and rollers lined the floor like rows of plastic soldiers.
Carefully each of my new treasures was put away in a box, mentally cataloged for possible future use. One could never tell what uses these things might have. These parts might someday find their way into animated Halloween decorations or the set for a school play.
That was then; this is now. Today’s passage defies analysis. Paul says that a church leader must be a person who “loves what is good.”
There is only one kind of person who can discern if someone loves what is good. That is someone who also loves what is good. If you don’t know what is good or have the wisdom to recognize what is good, there is no way you can discern that quality in another person. You might be able to say, “That person is better than me,” but that is not the same as knowing what is good.
As an analytical type, I sometimes feel like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. It is hard to relate to the things that touch a person’s heart. Yet this is one quality that is essential for an overseer; they must be able to love what is good. Another way to put this is that they must be able to see with their heart.
To some extent, I envy the man of God who has this quality. To a greater extent, I pity the person who can see with their heart but does not know God. And what about you? Do you see with your heart? Do you love what is good?
Application: Use whatever sight God has given you to seek out what is good.
Food for Thought: How would you answer the question, “What is good?”
This passage makes my heart glad. Thank you for being personal with it. I can be too much heart and not enough head sometimes. It’s a tough balance. But I agree that a leader in the church must be a man who has a heart for what is good and loves God with all his heart.
So, do you still have that box of parts? The really old printers and copiers were way more fun to take apart. I probably still have a few parts from ones I dismantle as a kid. Being able to take it apart is one thing, but building somerhing is another.
Ben –
You had to ask! 🙂 Yes. I do have boxes of parts I am trying to “part” with. I’m not sure anything from that washer and dryer survived, although it may have. I always imagined that a printer or copier would be fun to dismantle. Glad to hear someone got to do it.
As for seeing with the heart, I am so honored to know people like Rich and yourself who are deeply passionate and have good heart vision.
The best short list of good and evil is summarized in Galatians 5:19-26. We are told to keep our mind focused on the good in Philippians 4:8. This act involves the heart as well as, obviously, the mind and must include the Holy Spirit for success.
(Scripture links)
JEC
Thank you for the scripture references! I have added a link for those who are interested in reading them.
Before sending the guys off on their work assignments this morning,..I seen one of my employees greasing up a ratchet,..and I said to a couple of the younger employees,..you see that,..that’s what a good employee does,..some do good things and some do great,..I told them about the Three Minute Bible I am a part of and went on to tell them that the question today is,.. what is good?,..then I went on to say,..well you all know what bad is,..so what is good? One of the employees said in a deep soft voice,..God,..God is good,..I agreed with him and the conversation was all about God and how good He is in our lives,..
So what is good you ask,..God,..God is good,..God is good all the time,..all the time God is good,..no matter what comes our way,..God is good all the time,..
The first and greatest commandment is that we love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength,..I was told by a Pastor once that if we love God that way then we will know how to love others because God is love,..everything about love is good,..is what I have come to understand anyway,..
John,
I am deeply touched by your comments this morning! ThreeMinuteBible.com is very honored to be a part of your ministry. I love the stories about your employees and how you are touching their lives with God’s Word. Keep up the great work!
Thank you brother. Great comments. I love the verses JEC shared. And John’s comments make me think of Matthew 22: 37 – 40. I would add Micah 6: 8 to the list. In Micah God actually gives us one definition of what is good. And brother, you may be analytical but you also see well with your heart.
Brother Rich,
Thank you for pointing us to Jesus’ summary of the Law and the prophets:
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Micah 6:8 passage is like it, pointing us to the simple goodness of God’s will:
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
And thank you for the kind words! All I know is that I look up to you in many ways and your heart for our Lord and doing his will is the big one.
How would you answer the question, “What is good?”
Only God, all that comes from Him, including our faith, our strength to follow Him in obedience to His revealed truths, His Works through us (a physical manifestation of our faith) are Good. Only Good has eternal value.
In Genesis we see that all His creation in the beginning is called Good or “Very Good”. God inspired the writers of the New Testament to use the term “Good News”, meaning the news of salvation, or liberation from sin, brokenness, and seperation from God. God reveals this Good News through the ministry, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:1, Romans 1:1-4, Matthew 11:4-5
Gods word is good. All Scripture is breathed out by God. Is necessary for all teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. The necessary foundation for men and women of God to be competent, and properly equipped for every good work. Abraham believed God,(His Words) and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 2:23
The power from God to do what He requires, is seen in the lives of believers who practice justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God, is Good. Choosing to live by the Spirit, walk by the Spirit. Allowing the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control to rule their hearts, is Good.
Micah 6:8, Matthew 5:1-48, Galatians 5:22-25, Psalm 37:3; 100:5
Ron,
Thank you for your thoughts today! You begin with an interesting comment, “Only Good has eternal value.”
You remind me that God’s economy is very different than the world’s economy. As you point out in the Micah 6:8 passage, God values justice, mercy, and a humble heart. Those things along with acknowledging God and his Son, Jesus constitute things that have eternal value.
Exactly Jeff,
How blessed we are to dwell in Him.
Blessings,
Ron