Do Gooders

In your mind does the term "do gooder" usually carry a good or bad conotation with it? Listen to some definitions on the term dogooder: Dictionary.com says that it is "a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer." Webster's Colligiate Dictionary defines this person as an impractical and often naive and ineffectual humanitarian or reformer." With definitions like that I think we can see why the word is so shunned.

The craziness comes when I remember that I am called over and over again to "do good deeds" by the God I am trying to follow.

We all back away from half-hearted sales attempts. We are leary about being taken, getting suckered by a smooth talker. So how do we do it? How can I be faithful to Christ and not be seen as an ineffective or disingenuous humanitarian or reformer?

One way to avoid that ending is to never look back; never dig-up dead things. Our old nature always scratched and clawed to place itself first. In Christ we have a new directive, to put others first. To treat others like we ourselves would like to be treated. That is a paradigm shift, that is the new calling and nature we have been called to embrace.

Matthew 12:33 says that we will know them buy there fruits. That a person can only be what he is and that we will be able to tell eventually by watching and examining the fruit of their lives.

Is your life attractive? Does your presence attract or repell those watching you?
Has anyone ever called you a dogooder? If they did how would they mean it?

In and through the power of Christ living in us we can become agents of change in a world dying to see the way out. Christ is the victor and he displays that victory in and through believers who have been transformed by his love and grace and filled to over flowing with his Holy Spirit.

Are you helping to redefine the term? Are you a dogooder? We can, and we should be agents of change for the good of those we serve.