Inspired by Spirit #7: doing good to all

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

That’s where we left it yesterday. In Galatians 6, Paul goes on to unpack what this may look like in practice in our lives. The section is entitled ‘Doing Good To All’.

Hey, hang on a minute, haven’t we made it clear before that doing good works is not what will earn us salvation and a right relationship with God? So why do we need to do good at all?

Doing good works and following the rules will not earn us salvation and a right relationship with God, that’s exactly right. Jesus has done that work for us – only by grace can we enter the presence of the one true God. There is nothing we can do or say to earn that privilege.

However, once our relationship with our Creator has been restored and we are rooted in Him, living the life we were always intended to live, then we will begin to bear good fruit. Love and joy and patience will overflow from within us, from this heart that is being transformed by the Spirit.

We do not do good to earn favour with God; we do good as a result of God’s love for us. It’s a natural consequence of a restored relationship with God.

So now we’ve cleared that up, are you ready for Paul’s suggestions of what ‘doing good’ looks like? ‘You who live by the Spirit’, this is what your everyday life should be looking like…

If a someone we know is making a spectacular mess of things, hurting themselves and others and their relationship with God, then we do not look the other way and let them get on with it, saying ‘It’s their life, their choice.’  We care. We gently come alongside them. We pick them up. We challenge their behaviour, help them to see what they are doing. We come in love not condemnation. We give them time. We pray for restoration and do all that we can to support them in seeking restoration.

A word of warning: be careful not to be dragged into the mess your friend has created. Don’t let yourself be dragged down to their level. It’s about you raising them up in love.

Support each other. Be there for each other. Stand with one another in the tough times. Get in there and find practical ways to support.

Don’t ever fall into the trap of thinking your someone you’re not. In God, all are equal. Seriously, all are equal. You’re no better than anyone else. Never catch yourself looking down on someone or up to someone for that matter, just because of their social standing or popularity or success or money.

So ditch the comparisons. Don’t measure how you’re doing by how anyone else is doing. What’s going on in your life is between you and God. Test your own actions. Evaluate your own life.

Share all the good things you’ve learnt with others. Don’t keep it to yourself. Good news is for sharing.

Don’t ever imagine for one moment that you can cheat God. What you reap is what you sow, it’s as simple as that. There’s no running away from the consequences of your choices, no bargaining, no deals.

So don’t become weary of doing good. Take heart. You were created to share in the love and care of all living beings, of the whole universe. When you live inspired by the Spirit in this way, you’re taking your place in the whole of eternity.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8

This gift of eternal life is not to be our motivation, but a natural consequence of actions inspired by the Spirit.

As we’ve seeing time and time and time again, it all comes down to love. Doing good to all is all about love. The life of the Spirit is defined by love in action.

How will you show love in action today?