There is danger that lurks for Christians when we begin to evaluate life with the standards of our culture. Using the world’s standards to be the measure of what is good in your life will bring dissatisfaction with your Christian faith. This is exactly what happened to the psalmist in Psalm 73. His overwhelming discouragement came directly from looking at life the way God’s enemies do. Parents, this trap lures you, too. If you work hard at your parenting, but use the world’s standards of success, you will become like the psalmist—embittered and discouraged with life and with God. What is good cannot be found by looking at our culture. Christians have a different standard for goodness:
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
The ultimate good for God’s people: the nearness of God! The psalmist suddenly sees the foolishness of evaluating his life the way the world does. He finally realizes the world is interested in mocking God and ridiculing his wisdom. Because he had entertained such thoughts, the psalmist compared himself to an unthinking beast. If you use the world’s standards to evaluate your life, you too will be senseless and ignorant.
In profound contrast, the psalmist observes that the nearness of God is his good! Because of the perfect performance of Christ, you don’t have to be worried that you must “measure up” to make God happy with you. Even when you sin, God is there, and his nearness is your good. It is easy at Christmas time to regret all that you cannot do. It is easy to be discouraged that you cannot give the presents you would like to give. But the gift that you can give is your joy at God’s nearness. Your spouse will sometimes fail you. Your children will often be ungrateful or selfish. Through all of this, the nearness of God is your good. Christ has paid the price for your sins. He is your brother, your friend, your Savior, your Lord.
Many are fighting to keep Christ in Christmas. While I understand the sentiment behind this thought, the reality is that Christ can no more be separated from his incarnation than God can be removed from the universe. It is what it is. Christ is what he is and man can do nothing to change it. Your reason for celebration remains intact. Jesus became flesh and died for the sins of his people. The nearness of God is your good!
One thought on “Looking for good in all the wrong places”
“I can’t help praising the Lord. As I go along the street, I lift up one foot, and
it seems to say, ‘Glory.’ And I lift up the other, and it seems to say, ‘Amen.’
And so they keep on like that all the time I am walking.” -Preacher Billy Bray
I have such a deep sadness and weariness in my spirit at this time of year because of the foolishness of the pagans who have no understanding of why they are participating in this frenzy of spending, partying and alleged well-wishing only to resume doing evil on December 26th. So very many would not even be able to articulate what the “Spirit of Christmas” is if asked.
Your words do remind me that I can still have deep joy at the Love that was manifested towards us on the day of Christ’s birth and it does and will always remain untouched by the world. They cannot take that profound comfort from me. Thank you!