Good Deeds are like Good Deodorant

In junior high school, I was able to draw considerable and favorable attention from cute girls because they believed I smelled really good. My older brothers would have been glad to dispute their claim, but I was happy to live in the luxury of those girl's faulty belief system.

The secret to my successful scent was Dial deodorant. Before going out, I would spray a cloud of Dial deodorant large enough to cover ten square blocks and then allow that smoke to permeate my clothes. You laugh, but the girls weren't laughing. However, I was only taking credit for something unnatural to myself. Left to my own natural resources, I, like you, do not smell very well. In Jr. High, it was not me that smelled good, girls were not drawn to my natural smell, but rather my manufactured smell called dial deodorant. As I graduated from schools I also graduated from dial deodorant to English Leather cologn to Polo to my all time favorite Drakkar. Each improvement in cologn, brought more accolades to myself, yet it was never the real me, only a disguise that was initiated with dial deodorant. When I wake up in the morning, I don't naturally smell like Drakkar Noir or Dial deodorant. My natural smell is a bit less complimentary.

This dynamic of my deodorant is true about my good deeds. My good deeds are like good deodorant. My good deeds may appear to be praiseworthy or admirable. I may even experience certain accolades for being a nice guy. However, at more core, I am selfish. My natural tendency does not warrant remarks that are complimentary. In fact, when I am confronted with who I am at my core, I don't even like myself. But it is very easy to hide behind good deeds in order to try and impress others and try to impress God. However, when attempt to do this, I am only living in denial.

In the Bible, the book of Ruth, , chapter 2 verse 10 a profound question is asked by a woman named Ruth, to a man named Boaz, who is a Christ-like figure. Boaz ownes a field in which Ruth is working seemingly inconspicuously. Ruth is simply trying to gather enough food to eat for the night. However, Boaz shows Ruth some attention and favor by watching out for her. In verse 10, Ruth replies with that profound question that each of us should ask Jesus Christ. Ruth simply replies to Boaz with the question, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me - a foreigner?" Although Boaz points out the admirable goods deeds from her past, Ruth does not rely on her good deeds in the presence of Boaz. Instead, she simply relies on the grace given her from Boaz.

One day I will stand before Jesus Christ. In the presence of Jesus Christ, I can try to rely upon my past good deeds, but it would be equivalent to taking credit for the scent of good deodorant. At my core, I am saturated with the scent of sin that is repugnant and in need of redemption and repentance. However, in this life, I have the opportunity to respond to the favor and incredible grace of Jesus' death for my sin, by asking, "Why have I found such favor in you?" and then living a life of repentance. When I stand in the presence of Jesus Christ, my creator, savior, redeemer, king and judge, I will only be able to thankfully rely on his grace and blood which covers my sin and removes it's stain and scent.

Do you and I try to gain approval with God and others by relying on our good deeds? If so this is like relying on good deodorant to permanently remove our natural smell.

Beams Away!