Doers of Good
Doers of Good
In previous issues, we spoke about fasting and what befits it—repentance, contrition, and humility before God.
However, fasting is not limited merely to abstaining from sin; it also possesses a positive element, which is doing good.
Let our meditation today be on the Scripture that says: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Doers of Good
“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Sin, then, is not only the commission of evil; rather, failure to do good is also considered sin, as long as a person is capable of doing it.
Thus, it is fitting for the children of God to practice good continually. Since God Himself is the Doer of good, His children—being created in His image—are also doers of good.
Goodness is not merely an occasional act, but a permanent attribute of the spiritual person. It was said of the Lord Christ, our example, that He “went about doing good.”
Doing good is a general duty toward all; it does not require a special calling or official responsibility.
If someone encounters a drowning person or a fire, he does not hesitate, wait for an official invitation, or ask, “Is this my responsibility?”—he intervenes immediately to save.
A person’s life will be evaluated according to the amount of good he has done.
There are people who do not do good because they are occupied with other matters. The whirlpool of life and its many concerns entangle them, leaving them no time, effort, or thought to care for others or do good to them. Each one says, “What does this have to do with me?”
But the man of God actively searches for opportunities to do good. His heart burns within him for the needs of everyone, and he seriously considers what he ought to do. He does not ask whether he is responsible or not, nor does he say like Cain, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9).
He does good at all times and to everyone.
He is a person who radiates goodness, who overflows with goodness—a moving source of good.
Everyone he meets encounters goodness from him, because doing good has become his nature.
Those who made excuses for not doing good were not accepted by the Lord.
The prophet Jeremiah excused himself because of his youth, saying, “I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6). But the Lord did not accept his excuse and sent him.
Likewise, the prophet Moses excused himself because of his lack of eloquence, saying,“I am slow of speech and slow of tongue… I am not eloquent” (Exodus 4:10).
Yet the Lord did not accept this excuse; He made Moses His spokesman, placed words in his mouth, and used him to do great good.
He who desires to do good will find an opportunity; but he who does not will find dozens of excuses and obstacles to prevent him.
One of the spiritual fathers once said: “The road to hell is paved with excuses.”
But if you desire to do good, be confident that God’s grace will help you, the work of the Holy Spirit will cooperate with you, the Lord will prepare the way for you, and He will support you with His power and provide all that is needed.
Do not say, “I have no experience,” for experience comes through practice, and the first time in any work is always without experience. Do not say, “I have no time,” for you give time to many trivial things.
Examples of Doing Good
We begin with Nehemiah.
He was in the land of captivity, a war captive serving in the court of King Artaxerxes. When he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and its gates burned with fire, what could he have done?
He could have excused himself, saying he was far away, hundreds of miles from Jerusalem, with no resources, no responsibility, and no expectations placed upon him.
But Nehemiah loved doing good and was determined to act.
He did not merely pray, fast, and weep before God; he spoke to the king, obtained letters, secured building materials, went to Jerusalem, gathered the people, and rebuilt the wall—despite many obstacles. He is a model of the doer of good who overcomes all barriers.
Another example is David the Prophet in his encounter with Goliath.
David came to the battlefield only to check on his brothers and bring them food. When he heard Goliath threatening and defying Israel, his spirit was stirred within him. He was not responsible, not a soldier, young in age, and no one expected anything from him—yet as a doer of good, he volunteered to fight the giant, triumphed by the Lord, and delivered the entire people.
The same God who worked through Nehemiah the captive worked through David the young shepherd. Both did good despite not being officially responsible and despite great difficulties.
Another example is David in preparing for the Temple.
When God told him that he would not build the Temple but that his son would, David could have withdrawn from the matter with a clear excuse. But because he loved doing good, he said: “My son is young, and the work is great,” so he prepared everything—gold, silver, bronze, wood, and stones—so that his son would find the task easier before God.
The one who does not wish to do good hides behind excuses, obstacles, or lack of responsibility. But the doer of good overcomes all of these, because his love for goodness is stronger than all else.
More Witnesses of Goodness
There is the example of a soldier who saved a saint during the era of persecutions.
When she was cast into a house of prostitution, this righteous soldier did not merely grieve in his heart and remain silent. He entered the place, and when she feared him, he said, “I have come to save you. Wear my clothes and leave disguised as a soldier.” She escaped safely, while he was arrested and led to martyrdom. She followed him and said, “Do not take my crown from me,” and she was martyred with him—but she had been saved through him.
Though entering such a place endangered his reputation and his life, he did not hesitate for the sake of doing good.
Love for good often leads its bearers to actions that appear astonishing.
Saint Anba Serapamon, Bishop of Menoufia in the previous generation, loved secret charity so much that he would pass by the homes of his people, place their needs at the door, knock, and leave quietly.
One holy monk, out of love for good, would fill the jars of the monks with water at night from the well, sparing them the effort of fetching water themselves.
Some people specialize in certain works of charity:
– visiting the sick, especially those in critical conditions;
– serving orphanages;
– caring for the families of prisoners.
When such a person hears that someone has been imprisoned, he does not merely feel sorry and remain silent; he asks about the family and their needs and works to help them.
Saint Julius of Aqfahs specialized in caring for the relics of martyrs. He accompanied them during their trials and tortures, encouraged them, then buried their relics with honor and wrote their stories for the Church. Despite the dangers, he continued in love for good until he himself received the crown of martyrdom.
Saint Joseph of Arimathea did likewise when he courageously requested the body of Christ, wrapped it, and buried it in his own tomb, exposing himself to danger.
There are also charitable organizations such as the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and ambulance societies, which began as voluntary, non-official initiatives.
This too is a form of good on a secular level, including the work of scientists and inventors who dedicate their time, effort, and research to alleviate human suffering or improve daily life.
If this is the case with the people of the world, how much more should it be so with the children of God!
Some specialize in reconciling families, others in caring for foundlings, the elderly, or the homeless.
Saint Eulogius the Stonecutter was devoted to caring for strangers and hosting them despite his very limited income.
There are those who cover what their parents fall short of in tithes, and those who offer oblations for the departed.
If you cannot do good by saving a life, then do good by praying, fasting, or offering a liturgy.
If the three disciples had stayed awake with Christ for just one hour in Gethsemane, it would have been a good deed the Lord would never forget. The holy women and John the Beloved did nothing but stand by the Cross; they did not defend Him or die in His place, yet their presence has been remembered through generations.
Do what you are able to do.
The important thing is to do something—only that.
