Go forth and learn

First of all let us acknowledge that a “good” life is not a “perfect” life. We would be foolish to strive for a perfect life, but each of us can surely aspire to a good life.

A good life must contain goals to be achieved. Without goals we are stagnant. These should be neither too high to reach or too low that we do not have to use the best of our ability.

A good life is filled with friendships.

A good life is filled with deeds of loving kindness. We are here on Earth to be co-workers with God, and that means giving to others, helping others and bringing happiness to as many friends as possible.

A good life is one that is filled with love. Not just romantic love, though that is certainly fine, but love of all human beings, because God created us in God’s image and therefore all of God’s creatures deserve our love, our compassion and our understanding. That love includes feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and giving shelter to the homeless.

Finally, a good life must include a spiritual awakening. We are composed of body and soul, the physical and the spiritual. A young lad once asked his father: “Where is God?” And the father answered: “Wherever you let God in!” We must open our heart and soul and “let God in.” God is our strength. God shows us the way we must go.

A man once asked a first-century rabbi, Hillel, to recite all of God’s laws while he stood on one foot. Hillel answered: “What is hurtful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole law — the rest is commentary. Now go forth and learn.” That is the good life.



Grace in God

The expression “living the good life” is typically used to point out a person who is living in material wealth, has a powerful status, or lives in familial bliss.

I do not think the good life revolves around any of those conditions. The “good life” is a life built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ through the Gospel.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!”

Jesus makes it clear that there is no good life outside of faith in him. Because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, any attempt to live life apart from Him is a cheap imitation of how life is truly meant to be lived.

Today I invite each reader to examine your life and see if you are in Christ. You should start living the good life today by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born in the flesh, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary, sacrificial, atoning death on the cross, was buried and then raised on the third day by the power of God the Father!

He is now in heaven at the right-hand of God, and one day he will return to judge the living and the dead. Believe in this good news today and receive the grace of God which is the “good life.”



Have a question to pose to our panel of local faith leaders? Send it to “Religion Roundtable,” Lisa Davis, Features Editor, The Anniston Star, P.O. Box 189, Anniston AL 36202. Or email roundtable@annistonstar.com.