A couple of months ago, my wife, Charlotte, and I had the chance to see Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” a retelling of various fairy tales, at St. Louis’ Union Avenue Opera. Early on in the play, as she toils ignored by her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella wonders what the point is of being good if no one notices. A bit later, Red Riding Hood points out that there’s a difference between “nice” and “good.” Still later, the Witch says “nice” is neither good nor bad. Last month, I wrote about being a “good egg” (Person-2-Person, September, 2024). Now, I want to explore what it means to be “good.”

Jesus told his disciples, “‘Be careful that you do not do your righteous works in front of people, so that they will notice.’” (Matt. 6:1a Evangelical Heritage Version). Clearly, he would’ve had something to say to Cinderella, that being “good” or righteous doesn’t need to be done in public or recognized, that it’s enough that God sees, enough that we make some small difference. Still, the urge for recognition is understandable. Jesus was not saying good works—or goodness in general—were unimportant or shouldn’t be done, only that we shouldn’t do them for show. In fact, “. . . we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance so that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 EHV).

At the same time, there’s a difference between performing good works and everyday conduct. Even when we’re not doing charitable works, others should be able to see Christ in us. Jesus told his followers, “‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” (John 13:35 EHV). But we can’t just love each other or only those who belong to our own group. Instead, we’re commanded to “‘. . . love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27b EHV). The original command (Lev. 19:18) is followed a few verses later by another: “‘You shall treat the alien who resides with you as a fellow citizen. You shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.’” (vs. 34a EHV). No one was to be left out or excluded. The same God who gave that command is our God today.

Once, an “expert in the law” wanted an excuse to only love certain people (Luke 10:25-29). He asked Jesus, “‘And who is my neighbor?’” (vs. 29b EHV). In response, Jesus told what we know as the “parable of the good Samaritan” (vs. 30-35). The Samaritan in the parable stopped and helped an Israelite (vs. 33-34), even though their two peoples weren’t supposed to have anything to do with each other. Jesus pointed out that the words “except” or “unless” or “provided” aren’t part of the command. It can be difficult to love some people—I know it is sometimes for me—but Jesus says do it anyway.

The point is that there’s a difference between being “good” as the world defines it and showing God’s love. As Red Riding Hood notes, behavior the world calls “good” is often simply “nice,” pleasant, inoffensive. But we’re commanded to be more than “nice” or even “good.” We’re commanded to “‘. . . be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.’” (Lev. 19:2b EHV). And there’s a huge difference between “good” or “nice” and “holy.” The author of Revelation wrote that the church in Laodicea was “. . . lukewarm and not hot or cold,” (Rev. 3:16a EHV). “Nice” is “lukewarm.” “Nice” is neither good nor bad, and it’s definitely not holy. It’s just “nice.” It’s inoffensive, and true holiness can be offensive (1 Pet. 2:7-8).

Paul wrote to his young friend, Timothy, that there would be people “. . . holding to an outward form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:5a EHV). They might be “nice” or even “good” in the world’s eyes but they wouldn’t be holy. Their goodness would have no depth and they wouldn’t be changed inside.

We are called to let the light of God shine through us “‘. . . so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’” (Matt. 5:16b EHV). If our commitment to Christ has changed us, if we’re not merely “nice” or “good” but holy, it can’t help but show in our lives.


“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. Rather, just as the one who called you is holy, so also be holy in everything you do. For it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:14-16 EHV.)