THE QUIET STRENGTH OF DOING GOOD

There is a holy nobility in the simplest act of goodness. Heaven takes note of what earth ignores. A cup of cold water given in mercy, a word fitly spoken to steady a trembling heart, a firm refusal to join hands with injustice—these are not small things in the courts above. The Lord of glory, who sees in secret, delights in those who choose righteousness when compromise would be easier. To do good is not weakness; it is the fruit of a heart made alive by grace.

Yet doing right will test us. The current of this world runs swift and strong, and it presses hard against the swimmer who aims for the narrow shore. There will be moments when obedience feels lonely, when truth seems costly, when kindness is mistaken for folly. But what is the frown of men compared to the smile of God? Better to stand with a clean conscience in the minority than to feast with the crowd at the table of error. The strength of the believer is not found in numbers, but in the steadfastness of the One who walks beside him.

Consider our blessed Redeemer. He went about doing good, though His goodness was repaid with scorn. He healed, yet was hated; He spoke truth, yet was crucified. Still He did not turn aside from the path appointed for Him. The cross itself, that emblem of shame, became the throne of triumph because He would not cease from doing the will of His Father. If such love endured such contradiction, shall we grow weary in well-doing?

Take heart, then, dear soul. Your labor in goodness is not wasted. The seeds you sow in faith may lie long beneath the soil, but the harvest belongs to God. Stand firm today; choose what is right; speak what is true; love without measure. For in the end, it is not the applause of the crowd but the commendation of the Master that will satisfy the heart. And when He says, “Well done,” every sacrifice will shine like gold refined in fire.

BDD