In response to an online question asking about lame excuses for missing work, Benjamin Weber in Cincinnati wrote this: “When our new hire didn’t show up for work, I called her. She explained that her mother had passed away and that she would need a few days off for bereavement. “Of course,” I said.

A week went by, and she still hadn’t returned to work. So I called again. This time, she said she had good news and bad news. The good news: Her mother had come back to life. [It’s always pleasantly surprising when that happens!] The bad news: She was sick again, so she had to stay home with her.” Wow. That makes me wonder if that woman ever really planned to come back to work or not. At best, she had some “good intentions” to come through on her work commitment that she never fulfilled.

It was in the 12th century that Frenchman Saint Bernard of Clairvaux said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Clearly, actions must be taken and followed through in order for the intention to become a reality that’s actually worth something. A person may intend to start serving others or become a better parent, spouse, friend or co-worker or they may intend to get right with God by making a genuine commitment to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. But those good intentions, in and of themselves, leave a person hell-bound. Bernard’s quote is a statement about much of human nature how we may want to do something good, but we oftentimes lack the follow-through to make it happen.

Now God, who can look into our hearts and minds, knows if we truly intend to actually do anything. And He knows what we’re being driven by as “the Lord is the judge of our motives.” (Proverbs 16:2) For believers, James shares a sobering thought when he writes “If anyone… knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17) When we fail to do the good that we should do, that’s not just an “Oops, my bad.” It’s sin- and that’s serious.

Margaret Thatcher once said, “No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions; he had money as well.” That’s partly true. But the Samaritan also put himself at risk by stopping and going to help the wounded man. He likely inconvenienced himself by taking the time to assist the man. He probably went outside of his normal comfort zone by giving the man some first century first-aid, putting him on his donkey to taking him to an inn and then caring for the man until the next day. And then, he’s even more generous by giving money to the innkeeper to have him continue nursing the man back to good health.

But before all of that, we see that the Samaritan was prompted to do all he did because he saw the man and “he took pity on him.” (Luke 10:33) I think that’s why the Good Samaritan went beyond good intentions. For us, we are driven not just by pity, but love. I John 3:18 tells us “let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions.” True, committed believers have more than good intentions as they actually do good displaying Christ-like love.
In His Service, Jim

Scripture Spotlight: “If anyone… knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17)