“Good day to you!” The man doffed his Irish cap as he passed by on the narrow cobblestone street. How lovely, I thought, to cast a blessing upon strangers as they passed. That’s not something we see much in North America. You’re lucky if you get a slight nod let alone a quick smile. I found myself wishing it were otherwise.

Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about that word, ‘good.’

It’s used 594 times in the Bible. All of those instances are appropriate.  That makes me think of another use of the word, in the phrase, Good Friday. The question has often been asked, why is the day on which Christ died such a horrible death called ‘good?’ Did you know the day is only called good in English? In most other languages, it is called Holy Friday. In Denmark, it’s Long Friday. In Germany, it’s Sorrowful or Suffering Friday. All names that seem more fitting.

But then, think about it. This is not the only thing in the Bible that seems topsy-turvy to us. Jesus exemplified that rather descriptive English expression. “Love your enemies,” He said. “Do good to those who despise you,” He commanded. (Luke 6:27) More than once he turned the religious leaders’ world upside down. He ate with sinners and broke the rules on the Sabbath. In a sense, Jesus was the original counter-culture revolutionary. Continually His disciples came to realize that when He said His ways and His thoughts were higher than theirs, He wasn’t joking. Often, they found them incomprehensible because they were so opposite to the way in which they were accustomed to thinking and living.

So yes, it is fitting that we call this day ‘good,’ because that is what Jesus would have called it. Though he was beaten and tortured, spat upon and ridiculed, He would have called it ‘good’ because it was on that day that he accomplished the will of His father. This ‘good’ Friday was the day on which mankind was restored to the state of righteousness that God intended. It is the day on which mankind was released from the burden of sin, the day on which the greatest sacrifice ever given occurred for our benefit. It was on that day that He made it possible for us, not only to come into the holy presence of his Father, but to live ‘in Him,’ forever bound to Him as his children, His beloved.

That day is ‘good’ because it leads us all to the resurrection. Glory! Glory to God in the highest!

I recently won a gift bag with a watch in it that had a rather large price tag on it. That was nice. But I got a little excited when I discovered there was also a $100.00 gift certificate included. Until I read the fine print. The certificate was only good at a high-end jewelry shop. It didn’t take long for both me and the clerk in the shop to realize that I was not going to be using that gift certificate in that shop. The clerk made me feel as though I really wasn’t worthy of being there and by the time I left, I felt a little like I’d been trying to steal something.

Then I had a closer look at the watch. It had scratches on the buckle and a stain on the wrist band. I know they say you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and I really did try to be thankful, but I confess it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It felt like they were saying I wasn’t worthy of receiving something of true value, so, here, take this second-hand, tainted, bobble and be happy. It wasn’t a nice feeling.

Think of my experience in terms of our attitude to those less fortunate. Do we make them feel as though they aren’t good enough? Do we respect them enough to give them something of value, something of true worth? Or do we give them watches with scratches on the buckle and stains on the wristband? Perhaps you’ve heard that old story about the missionary that received a care package from home that included used tea bags. How would you feel?

Our church just voted to sponsor a refugee family who had to flee Pakistan because of religious persecution. We’re not a big group. It’s going to take a few miracles to raise the money needed. It’s going to take giving till it hurts. I was quite nervous about it all until we managed to arrange a Skype call with the family. Suddenly my perspective changed. They are real people, lovely people, in a desperate situation. They are worthy of our help.

But then, isn’t everyone? Aren’t all made in the image of God? The Bible says they are – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them…” (Genesis 1:27).

We hear a lot about refugees lately and there are many who don’t want to help, many who are afraid of the changes our country will undergo because of the influx of strangers. Perhaps we would be wise to remember what Jesus said: “I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me …Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:43-45).

Jesus made no judgement calls on who was “worthy.” He associated with the least of the least and ministered to all. Should we not do the same?

If you would like to help “open the cage” for this refugee family contact me for more information at vinemarc AT telus DOT net.