"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV
Is there a difference between a Good Person and a God Person? Which one are you? There is a subtle, but important distinction between a “Good Person” and a “God Person.” It’s important to discern the difference and avoid making the mistake of JUST being a good person.
A Good Person: Good people are just plain good! They are loving and nice. They do good things. They don’t make waves. They play all sides of the fence so as to not offend anyone. They say what you want to hear. They maintain a neutral position on most things. They work at being politically correct. They are well-liked and enjoy the accolades and praises of men. They are full of good works and can be tempted to boast. Good people talk mostly about what they are doing. They trust in their goodness and good works for salvation and entrance into heaven. They are focused on the horizontal – bringing out the human-flavors of the earth and the human-colors in the world.
A God-Person: God-people are a work in progress. They love God and they love people. They do good things. They tend to make waves. They can’t play all sides of the fence – they choose to side with God and His Word and this offends people. They speak the truth in love and sometimes people don’t want to hear it. They are usually passionate for the things God cares about. They are never politically correct. They are loved or hated and do their best to direct any praises they receive to God. They are God’s workmanship and thankful for God’s gift of grace. God people talk mostly about what God is doing. They trust in the good works of Jesus Christ alone for salvation and entrance into heaven. They are focused on the vertical – bringing out the God-flavors of the earth and the God-flavors in the world.
Can you be both a Good Person and a God-Person? Of course…to a degree. At the end of the day, all God-People should be Good-People! But never confuse being a Good-Person with being a God-Person.
In the Message Bible, Jesus reminds us about the distinction between being a Good-Person versus a God-Person:
“Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage." Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.” Matthew 5:13-14, The Message.
Say It: “Father, today I pray You help me to be a God Person who is also a Good Person. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
