Mark 10:18 “Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
The word GOOD is used for all sorts of things: food, movies, flowers, and cars. It is also part of greeting or departing from someone – as in “Good Night” or “Good morning.” What diversity the word has! Or should it have so much diversity? In many ways it is really overused.
What defines something as “good”? We all judge situations, categorizing them as “good” or “bad.” But have you ever considered the criteria we use to determine “goodness” or “badness”? This question came to mind when I heard a friend say, “This situation is bad, but God is still good.” I’ve said the same thing, and I’m sure you have, too.
God is considered good because of his inherent nature, which is characterized by love, generosity, compassion, mercy, and grace. He consistently demonstrates these qualities by providing for his creation even when they don’t deserve it. Essentially, “goodness” is not just a trait that God exhibits; it’s a fundamental aspect of who he is. God’s actions are inherently aligned with what is right, true and correct. It is impossible for him to act against or contrary to His own nature. That’s consistency and that’s good.
Several Bible verses clearly state God’s goodness, such as Psalm 100:5. It says, “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations.” Another verse, Psalm 25:8, says, “The Lord is good and upright.” Psalm 34:8 invites us to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” while Romans 8:28 assures us that “for those who love God, all things work together for good.” Finally, Mark 10:18 challenges our notion of goodness, proclaiming, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.”
Let’s pause for a moment and appreciate Him being good.