Have you ever heard someone say about someone, “You know, he’s just a really good man”? I have. Yet when I began to look at the scriptures for what a good man is and what a good man does, not everyone I heard referred to as a “good man,” actually met the criteria found in the Bible.
“A good man will obtain favor from the Lord, But He will condemn a man who devises evil.” Proverbs 12:2 NASU
As I stated above, the Bible is filled with verses telling us what a good man does and what a good man receives. In fact, the way to deal with the issues of life is to continually ask, “What would a good person do in this situation.” For example, I have learned that it is better to err on the side of mercy and kindness and generosity, than on the side of judgment and condemnation. Because I would rather have God’s favor on my life because I am a good man, than to forfeit it because I’m not.
“I’m going to teach them a lesson,” some have said. But they never taught a thing through their words, by precept and example. Instead, they tried to teach their lessons out of meanness or neglect. But that is not at all what a good man does.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 NASU
This verse tells us what God expects from a good person. The phrase, “to do justly,” means to always do what is right. So then a good man will always do what is right, not always what is popular.
Then the scripture states that a good man is “to love mercy,” which means to love being kind, and to always conduct yourself and make your decisions from the position of kindness (see Ephesians 4:32).
A good man is “to walk humbly with God.” This means that you are not prideful or arrogant, and that you don’t think more highly of yourself than you should (see Romans 12:1-3). In fact, when you are not walking humbly, it is an indicator that you have not renewed your mind to the Word of God.
“The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his.” Proverbs 14:14 NASU
When you are not living upright, and your heart is not right with God, then you are considered a backslider in heart. And for the record, backsliding always begins in the heart first, before there is ever an indicator of it on the outside.
However, a good man lives his life based upon the life of God within him, the nature of Jesus Christ. And a good man is faithful to serve the Lord in the small things of life as well as in the larger ones, fully obeying Jesus and giving glory to God in the process.
“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21 KJV
This good man Jesus is referring to, did something with what the Lord put in his life and multiplied it. So then clearly a good man is someone who is diligent with what the Lord has given him. If when you stand before the Lord Jesus you desire to hear Him say to you, “Well done, the good and faithful servant,” then do not be neglectful of those things that He has placed within your heart and into your hands.
“35 The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:35-36 NASU
The words of a good man produce life and blessings. They aren’t bitter and insulting and demeaning. In fact, people should be able to eat from the fruit produced from the life and the words of a good man.
Then another New Testament example of a good man is that of Barnabas. Here is what the Bible says about him.
“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.” Acts 11:24 NASU
Barnabas was a good man! He was obviously a great soul winner and he helped to build the Kingdom of God. And he was a man who was full of the Holy Ghost and faith, too! Each of these things are a description of what a good man is.
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38 KJV
Notice that Jesus went about doing good. And since Jesus is our example in everything, we too should be going about doing good.
Being a good person is a major key to experiencing the goodness of the Lord in your own life. So use the examples above of what a good man does, what a good man says, and how a good man lives, and be the good man or woman that God intends for you to be.