Is It Hard To Be Good?

Is that not a question we ask of children? Children find the very things parents try to keep from them

for their own good and yet, there they are, right in the middle of the very thing we told them to stay away from. Parents have been called to school because Billy couldn't control himself or his temper or didn't come into the building along with the other children after recess. What's wrong with Billy? Why won't he get with the program? All of the other children know what to do.

Then we are wired for adult hood, still trying to do the right thing and these days we have to question what the right thing is...or do we? A bus driver states he will never help a woman who seemingly is in need because her boyfriend is slapping her around in public. He stops the bus and gets the man off of this woman who looks like she needs help. Instead not only is the man fighting the bus driver but so is the supposed damsel in distress. The bus driver had to get the woman off of him before he could reassess what just happened, get back on the bus and continue doing what he was paid to do. Never again, he said.

In my place of employment, the employees have been warned (yes, warned) that if there is a resident that needs CPR or help standing up, we have to call 911. Now the employees are trained to administer CPR, but the new rule is that we are no longer allowed to touch any of the residents for anything. When asked why, I was told that because of our training we are allowed 1 for the "good Samaritan" in us, but that's it. After that 1 for a grace period, the employees will be reprimanded. Reprimanded for what? Doing good?

One of the residents fell outside during the harsh winter weather. His neighbor helped him to sit on a bench outside. He then was assisted back in the building for shelter against the cold wind. Not knowing if he was alright or not, 911 was called. He spent time in the hospital for his own good. When he was released he talked about aches and pains which were all understandable because of the weather, his age, and the fall was hard. But then he started asking about details that he couldn't remember. For what? His neighbor suggested that he might have a case. A case to do what and against whom? Who deliberately did harm to him?

I shake my head reading articles and looking over social experiments people decide to have with each other proving the depravity of the world (2 Timothy 3 AMP). How is it supposed to be when the ones doing the video are more then likely the type to fight the one helping or suing the one that had compassion to assist. Years ago, I prayed to God that I not be jaded towards people who have an agenda that is less then empathetic. He has answered my prayer and has given me wisdom to look at matters differently then I had.

Every believer has this love for people. It is in us. It is our light. It is our salt. It is what makes us be called a believer - Him. Nevertheless, we are required to pray for a reason (1 Thessalonians 5:17 AMP). Jesus prayed for a reason. God is the one who is omni-present. He was here before we got here. He saw the matter before we even knew it existed. And so we pray because we have a Holy Spirit that comforts us and tells us things to come (John 16:13 AMP). Are the things always going to be good? If we pray, they will be. Why?

Jesus walked through throngs of people that were looking to kill Him (John 10:30-41 AMP). It is written that we will be able to do things better then these. How? Because we have been forgiven through Christ. We have the guide to direct us. And we understand the purpose. So in answering the question, is it hard to be good? Not when we have prayed and have been instructed to be there at that time to do what we are called to do. The times should not be troubling to us. We knew it was going to be like this. We are troubling to the times because we will NOT follow depravity (Matthew 16:24 AMP).

Sabotage

The sacrifice we do for others is in hopes that the others will make better choices to be placed on a better path with less obstacles is something most Christians gladly do. We know this is pleasing unto God. We automatically make those sorts of sacrifices for our children and possibly for some of our family members. Yet, with what we know in Christ, are volunteers and philanthropic characteristics on the rise (Proverbs 21:3 AMP)? Would we still be so kind to sacrifice our time to assist in helping a stranger to understand Christianity and then follow up with where he/she attends services or the very least, pray for their spiritual growth? Do you wake up extra early to make that sacrifice in prayer for someone else (Proverbs 15:8 AMP) ? If not, are you sabotaging your own spiritual growth and success?

An attractive woman, recently divorced and raising her 4 children, establishing a home of her own and a career, she had been approached several times by men interested in dating her. Instead of having to continually reject their advances, she decided to make herself less attractive by wearing a silver wig, large framed glasses, no make up, and homely clothes. She barely looked like herself but the interest that she was receiving from so many men, stopped. She continued to obtain her education and advanced in her career. In reading this, one might think that this woman did nothing to impede her own progress. She got what she desired. Didn't she? Was it God's will? Her children grew and had independent lives while this once attractive woman who practiced being unattractive sits alone. She wishes to date now, but she isn't the same woman. God fashioned a woman to present to Adam (Genesis 2:21-23 NASB). There were specifics that God put in her for Adam and no one else. How this woman looked and behaved was a deliberate training. If her first husband could not see those attributes - oh well, he missed out. She was meant for someone else, but how will she know this now? It is so important to acknowledge God before making even the smallest of changes (Proverbs 3:6 KJV).

Would anyone make a conscious decision in destroying all of the good created? You would think not, yet doesn't it happen all of the time? Why would anyone take drugs with all of the information there is not to? Why does a grown woman have multiple sex partners when she has children fathered by several different men? Why does a thief run from the police then cries for mercy when the judge finds that he is a habitual offender? Why have children that you don't wish to raise? Why speak poorly of your child's mother/father (Proverbs 14;1 AMP)?

Sinners, well, that's their choice to be blind (Ephesians 4:17-32 KJV). For a Christian its insane to work against progress. In counseling, some women allow for me to gain some insight about their faith in God. When they do, the counseling strategy changes. A particular woman professing Jesus as her Lord and Savior has one child and her recreational activity is smoking dope while her child is in the car with her. One of my tasks for her was to find housing. When I did, management requires for this type of housing that the residents are drug free. A urine test is given on the spot. As I was filling the paper work, the test came back positive. The administrator reported that the positive reading was a hard positive; meaning, that the client had a few hits just before taking the test. No matter how many sessions and trials to gain free housing - the results were the same. How? Why? She manages to pass the drug test to gain employment; nevertheless, she consequently sabotaged her own success in the program and had to be excused.

This isn't exclusive to women. Men have their dirt to clean as well. A man is in a hurry to marry. When  he does, he expects his wife to be the woman his mother never was to his father. She cooked and cleaned for her new husband. One would think he would be pleased with her efforts. Instead, he would spill a drop of red soda on the floor daily just to see if she would clean it. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year until she couldn't take it (Proverbs 21:19 AMP). His actions served as fodder for arguments until the new couple sounded just like his parents (Proverbs 17:1 AMP). Oddly, he was content. She eventually left him. His parents divorced at the same amount of years married as well.

Yeah, you can blame the enemy and to some degree that would be true; yet, if you know better, why not do better? Why not practice what the Word says so the enemy is never allowed a strong hold (Luke 11;21-26 AMP)? Is that too much trouble to do too?