For Goodness Sake!–Capriciously Faithful

Have you ever thought about what it means to say that something is “good”?  We say  “this pie tastes good” or “that soup was good”.  We say, “My dog is a good dog” or “My son is a good son”. We might say, “My husband and I have a good marriage.” If we are blessed, we might say “We have a good life” and when someone dies we often say, “He was a good man” or “She was a good woman”.  But what is it that we really mean when we say that something or someone is good?

Do we really mean, “I like the way this pie tastes, the crust was not burned!” Or, do we mean to imply ”the soup had a consistency that was pleasing to me.”  Would it be more accurate to say, “the soup did not offend my taste buds.”  What do we really mean when we say, “This was a good man/woman.”  Do we mean that he or she was kind? Then why not just say that he was kind?  Do we mean that she gave to the poor or that she did not use four-letter words?  He didn’t kick the dog, or he always bought cookies from the Girl Scouts and popcorn from the Boy Scouts.  Then why not say that she was generous, that he was civic-minded or that she was not crude?  Is it simply just easier to use the word good? Do we do the word an injustice by using it in such a manner?

When a mother says her children have been good today does she mean that they did not hit each other, or that they did as they were told? Did they do their chores without complaint?  If so then why not say that they were kind to each other or that they were obedient?  Does a child understand when we say, “Be good in the grocery store and you’ll get a treat when we get home!”  Does that translate into “Don’t run around the store! Don’t beg for things I don’t intend to buy!  Don’t be loud and whatever you do, don’t embarrass me!”  It seems like that “being good” is a very ambiguous term as it used in modern English. Perhaps a better term more often would be “inocuous”. 

Speaking of modern English, according to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/good  the word, when used as an adjective has twenty different meanings!  It just goes to prove that “good” is difficult to describe or understand. Most often, it can only be understood in comparison to something that is “not good”.

good (gd)

adj. bet·ter (btr), best (bst)

1. Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad or poor: a good experience; good news from the hospital.(hmm, does that mean he didn’t die in the hospital, they didn’t take out the wrong body part?–red letter comments are from Capricously yours)

2. a. Having the qualities that are desirable or distinguishing in a particular thing: a good exterior paint; a good joke. (the paint doesn’t drip, peel, smear and requires only one coat; the joke is funny too most people, it’s not crude, it is crude…)

b. Serving the desired purpose or end; suitable: Is this a good dress for the party?(Will it get me noticed? Will I get “picked-up”? Does it show enough cleavage, not too much leg?)

3. a. Not spoiled or ruined: The milk is still good.(It’s not yet making curd- or it is making curd which is desireable for some recipes)

b. In excellent condition; sound: a good tooth.(This could mean any tooth to a toothless person!)

4. a. Superior to the average; satisfactory: a good student.(Does this mean the student doesn’t carry weapons to school, doesn’t threaten the teachers with bodily harm?)

b. Used formerly to refer to the U.S. Government grade of meat higher than standard and lower than choice.

5. a. Of high quality: good books.  (Many books that are considered “good” at one time are banned at others–take “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” for instance)

b. Discriminating: good taste. (To Muslims, good taste may mean that one doesn’t eat with the “common hand” or to a Jew it might mean that it is “Kosher”, in the south it is in good taste to arrive fashionably late, but never so to a funeral!)

6. Worthy of respect; honorable: ruined the family’s good name. (How does one ruin a “good name?” If it is good, then it can not be ruined–)

7. Attractive; handsome: good looks.(What one man finds attractive, another finds appalling– my husband likes a little “meat” on my bones, other men would find me to be unappealing. While I tend to be attracted to mean with “facial hair” (swashbuckling husband has a full beard) my mother finds a beard to be almost disgusting!)

8. Beneficial to health; salutary: a good night’s rest.(I don’t think enough Americans get one of these to make it definable!)

9. Competent; skilled: a good machinist.(He comes to work on time, does his job correctly, doesn’t steal from the company?)

10. Complete; thorough: a good workout. —-(Ok you get the point, and if you are with me this far, you must be a good friend!)

11. a. Reliable; sure: a good investment.

b. Valid or true: a good reason.

c. Genuine; real: a good dollar bill.

12. a. In effect; operative: a warranty good for two years; a driver’s license that is still good.

b. Able to continue in a specified activity: I’m good for another round of golf.

13. a. Able to pay or contribute: Is she good for the money that you lent her?

b. Able to elicit a specified reaction: He is always good for a laugh.

14. a. Ample; substantial: a good income.

b. Bountiful: a good table.

15. Full: It is a good mile from here.

16. a. Pleasant; enjoyable: had a good time at the party.

b. Propitious; favorable: good weather; a good omen.

17. a. Of moral excellence; upright: a good person.

b. Benevolent; kind: a good soul; a good heart.

c. Loyal; staunch: a good Republican.

18. a. Well-behaved; obedient: a good child.

b. Socially correct; proper: good manners.

19. Sports

a. Landing within bounds or within a particular area of a court and therefore in play: The first serve was wide, but the second was good.

b. Passing between the uprights of the goal and therefore scoring, as a field goal in football.

20. Used to form exclamatory phrases expressing surprise or dismay: Good heavens! Good grief!

See I told you– 20 definitions here to describe what could be considered “good”!

For Goodness sake, can someone please just tell me what it takes to be “Good”?  Perhaps the English just can’t do the word justice, so let’s see if the Biblical Hebrew of the word can help me with this quest to understand this word or concept of “good”.  If I did my research correctly, the word “good” is used 559 times in 517 verses in the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible. However, that is only for one word in Hebrew “tov” (Strong’s #H2896) and there are other words which are translated as “good”.  It’s all very confusing!  

G-d is the first to use the word “good” in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In Gen 1:4 we read:  ”And G-d saw the light, that it was good: and G-d divided the light from the darkness.” 

So, the first time in the Bible that G-d uses the word “good” (“tov” H2896) is to describe His own creation, “Light”. But, then I’m also reminded of the saying from 1 John, “G-d is Light and in him is no darkness.” 

 

 

And then, there is Gen 3:6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Yet, we know that it was not good for the woman and the man to eat of this fruit, for it is this act of disobedience which brought the judgement of death against all of life.  This was the fruit of the tree of the “knowledge of good and evil.”  Before man had taken from the fruit of this tree he did not have responsiblity of his actions– he was not capable of knowing good and evil.  He only had to be obedient and live out eternity in blissful ignorance! He could have chosen to eat from the Tree of Life instead! Man and woman could run around naked in the garden, everthying bared before each other and G-d. There was no shame or guilt.  Everything was good! G-d had said it was! The only thing not good was to try to be like G-d–to try and discern that which was good and evil.

It is G-d alone who can pronounce that something is “good”.  Yet, even today, everyday, we try to discern good and evil–we try to play G-d. Tov is the Hebrew word for “good”. It is a judgement pronounced about something or someone’s worthy-ness or functionality.

In the New Testament, we read in Matt 19:17 “And he (Jesus) said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Jesus said this in response to a young man who came to him and said, “..Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

I think Jesus was not saying that he himself was not good, but rather that truly He is G-d, Emmanuel–G-d with us– in the flesh.   I think he was also telling the young man, don’t try to be good–but keep the commandments.

As a child, my mother taught me to say this blessing before meals:

G-d is great. G-d is good.  Let us thank Him for this food. By His hands we all are fed. Give us Lord our daily bread. Amen.