David Johnson wrote two back-to-back articles a few years ago and I want to run them again over the next two weeks. I learned a lot from them, and I hope you will too. – Tim

The world is often interested in bad people; that’s why gossip magazines sell. It’s sad if you consider yourself to be ugly, for there are likely beautiful and interesting things about you. But we do not especially thrill when we hear the word “good.” In fact, we often relax and stifle a yawn. We are interested in the clever, the rich, the courageous, even the bad. But not especially good people.

Probably the best and worst advertisement for Christianity is Christians. The New Testament speaks of a man who was a great advertisement. In speaking of Barnabas, it says, “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” (Acts 11:24)

If people say we are good looking and cultured we are delighted, but who is complimented by being called good? It is important to remember that in spite of the misconception, the word AGATHOS – translated good – is not a weak word.

The word is strong and brawny. It has the shoulders of Samson and the lifting power of Hercules. It means profitable, generous, upright, beneficent, and virtuous. God used it to describe Barnabas because it was the best word. He was generous, a man of faith, he thought of others, and was a truly spiritual person.

Ugliness can’t be helped unless it’s character problem. To be bad might make you interesting, but you’ll harm others and yourself. But goodness makes you beautiful and banishes badness. It is one of the purest flowers that can bloom in our soul.

Seek it out and learn its ways. Barnabas did and people have appreciated him for 2,000 years.

– David Johnson, with revisions from Tim Johnson

Coming out of the temple one day, Jesus told his disciples that the famed building would be destroyed along with the entire city of Jerusalem. Now that got their attention! They peppered Him with questions and Jesus told them about many upsetting events that would happen first. Then He said, “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19).  

God put us in a world that is full of upsets and troubling events. Peaceful conditions rarely last exceptionally long. Things were going very well in our country not long ago, and now we’re scrambling to get past a world pandemic. We can get through most troubles by practicing endurance. Just like Jesus said, “By your endurance you will gain your lives.” Another word for this is pluck, the ability to bounce back and keep on going.

About fifty years ago I made friends with a young Christian man who was part of a small, struggling congregation in NW Ontario. We lost track of each other as our lives went separate directions. But when we were living in Edmonton 35 years later, he came to one of our church meetings and we had a great time catching up with each other. He was in the city on a business trip, but his home base is Vancouver where he’s a member of the Burnaby Church of Christ. His life has had many trials, but he has endured through them all and maintained his faith. You could say he has loads of pluck.

The Hebrew Christians had lots of people against them and many were suffering. They were told, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Heb.10:35-36). They could get through their troubles if they just practiced endurance. And so can we.

Does you life have pluck?

– Tim Johnson

You may have read last week that the richest man in the world has slipped into second place. Another multi-billionaire has slipped past him in that uncertain race. These men are admired in our society, but at the same time vilified for their ruthless ways. It seems that so many people are living their lives as smaller versions of the super-wealthy, striving to grab as much as they can.

Nobody questions the desire to make improvements in our lives. Nobody wants to return to lives of poverty and hunger. It’s good to make progress. In fact, our country needs to prosper so that it can tackle the needs of its citizens and help the poor. But when materialism and wealth are on our minds, plenty can go wrong.

Scripture tells us of King Ahab who demanded the vineyard of his neighbour, a principled man named Naboth (1 Kings 21). When he refused, the king took the advice of his wife and had the man killed. Drastic measures just for a piece of real estate. The quest for wealth can lead us into covetousness and even violence. Life can become a dog-eat-dog existence where the prize goes to the one with the biggest bite.

Striving for wealth can make us blind to the needs of the less fortunate. Jesus spoke about an insanely rich man who spent his money on himself every day (Luke 16:19-31). He failed to notice the needy man sitting on his front steps. Just a piece of bread would have made so much difference, but it was never offered. You can read about the fate of this tycoon in the next life; it’s not pretty. Perhaps the super-rich today are so busy building empires they may fail to help the poor, or even treat their employees fairly.

And how can we forget the rich farmer of Luke 12:16-21? He worked so hard for riches, he decided to simply let prosperity flow in and enjoy it all. He forgot all about God, to thank Him for His blessings, to consult Him about his responsibilities, and that someday he would face Him and be judged. Should it surprise us that the super-rich rarely speak about God?

The apostle John said it well in 1 John 2:17. “And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”

A thought: If the richest man in the world only has money, is he really rich?

A Christian family of modest means enjoyed a nice Christmas day with good food and gifts for everyone. Their young son surveyed everything and asked, “Dad, are we rich?” That’s not an easy question to answer, for what really is wealth? Having lots of possessions doesn’t guarantee happiness and the physically rich may not be rich at all. The life of a well-known television celebrity illustrates this truth, for her wealth spoiled her son and caused a family disaster. The other side of our question about wealth is not plain to see, for a poor man may feel rich because of the great spiritual things God has given him. James confirmed this when he said, “But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position” (Jas.1:9). With such thoughts flashing through his mind, the young boy’s father answered, “Yes, we are rich, but not just because of the nice gifts you got for Christmas.”

If there is any doubt about spiritual riches, read the following verses:

• Rom.2:4 – “Or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience?”
• Eph.1:7-8 – “The riches of his grace which he lavished upon us.”
• Eph.1:18 – “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know…what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”
• Eph.2:6-7 – “In order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
• Eph.3:8 – “The unfathomable riches of Christ.”
• Col.2:2 – “And attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Are we rich? Now you know what to say, should somebody ask.

– Tim Johnson