Be Good, Not Nice – The Ultimate Example of Jesus.
In our daily lives, we’re often encouraged to be nice, to keep the peace, avoid conflict, and make others feel comfortable. But when we look to Jesus, we see a different example. Jesus wasn’t just nice; He was good. His goodness went beyond surface-level politeness and kindness. It wasn’t about avoiding difficult truths or maintaining comfort, but about bringing true life, even if it meant disruption.
A deep, abundant source of water that can nourish and sustain life. People eagerly draw from it because water is essential. But now imagine the well turning into a flood, spilling out and soaking everything in its path. While this flood brings life, it also leaves everything it touches drenched. That soaking might be uncomfortable, messy even. But it’s necessary. In the same way, when the “rivers of living water” flow out from our innermost being John 7:38, they will affect everything they touch. We can’t contain them, nor should we try. There may be a need to clean up afterwards, but the water’s impact is undeniable, it brings life even when it disturbs the status quo.
The Greatest Kindness We Can Bring Is Sharing the Truth.
Nice Isn’t Enough – The Gospel Needs Speaking and Preaching.
Being nice doesn’t save souls. If we think we can win people to Christ through quiet acts of kindness without ever talking about Jesus, we’re missing the point. While our good deeds are important, they are not enough. The message of the gospel must be spoken. There are truths people must hear truths about sin, repentance, and the only way to salvation through Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
Our culture today emphasises being as inoffensive and “nice” as possible, not only to make congregants feel comfortable about themselves but also to ensure that those who are unsaved are not “put off” by anything said from the pulpit. Churches often tread carefully, avoiding messages that could make someone feel uneasy. However, if the gospel in its naked truth, unfiltered and uncompromising, remains unpreached, then leaders are failing their congregants, the unsaved, and their own vocational calling.
The gospel isn’t meant to coddle; it’s meant to – convict and save.
Think of a doctor discovering a tumour in a patient. Would it be compassionate for the doctor to stay silent because the news is unpleasant? Absolutely not! It would be cruel. In the same way, withholding the gospel, no matter how unpopular or uncomfortable it may seem, is spiritual malpractice. Just as that doctor’s responsibility is to save physical lives, our responsibility is to save souls by proclaiming the truth even when it’s not what people want to hear.
Imagine walking through a busy city and trying to pick out who’s a Christian just by observing their behaviour. You can’t. You might see kindness, but kindness isn’t exclusive to Christians. People from all walks of life can be kind. Without words, the deeper truth about Christ remains hidden. The rivers of living water within us John 7:38 are meant to flow outward, speaking life and truth, even when it makes others uncomfortable.
The Extra Step.
But there’s more to evangelism than just telling someone about Jesus and then walking away. It’s not enough to simply drop the seed of the gospel and hope it takes root on its own. We need to be bold enough to “close the deal.” When we share the gospel, we must ask, “Do you want to receive Christ as your Saviour?” This is the crucial moment, it’s when the living water has the chance to soak in fully and bring true transformation.
If they say yes, then we must take the next step – pray with them and lead them to Christ. Help them take that leap of faith. But if they say no, don’t just walk away. Let them know you’ll be praying for them and that you’re available for any further questions. Sometimes, their initial answer isn’t final, it’s a door that remains open a little while longer.
Why do we hesitate? – Pride.
We fear rejection. We don’t want our egos bruised if they say no. But what is our ego worth compared to the eternal fate of a soul? Jesus warned us about the “birds of the air” that come to steal away the good seed of God’s Word Matthew 13:4, 19. If we don’t help someone make a decision, we risk losing that opportunity, allowing distractions or doubts to take over and the birds to have a “feast day” on really good seed.
The rivers of living water aren’t just meant to refresh people momentarily, they are meant to fully immerse them in the life-saving truth of Christ. Like water pouring from a well, it can bring life but also cause some discomfort, soaking everything it touches. Sharing the gospel isn’t always neat and tidy; sometimes, there’s a cleanup required, a follow-up conversation, or a deeper commitment to helping them navigate their newfound faith.
If church leaders focus solely on keeping the peace, making sure no one is offended, or avoiding difficult truths to please congregants or the unsaved, then they are missing the point of their calling all they are building is a “social club for believers to be warm and cosy in.” The flood of living water must flow, even if it disrupts comfort. We, at our peril, cannot withhold the gospel in a misguided attempt to keep everyone happy. Just as a doctor’s silence in the face of a life-threatening condition would be malpractice, spiritual silence when eternal life is at stake is far worse.
So, when we share the gospel, don’t leave it hanging. Have the courage to ask the crucial question, to pray with them, and to stand by them. Because “niceness isn’t enough.” We must be willing to go further, to guide them to the only source of living water that can truly satisfy their souls.
Going Beyond Niceness and Truly Representing Christ Well.
We are called to be His ambassadors, not His PR team. Our job isn’t to make Jesus more palatable; it’s to represent Him fully and faithfully.
Today, it’s tempting to avoid being “those kinds of Christians.” You know, the ones who stand out, challenge cultural norms, and risk offending others by speaking biblical truths. Many of us would rather blend in, avoiding the flood’s disruptive force. But the gospel wasn’t meant to be reshaped to fit the world’s preferences, to be a finger scratching those itching ears – 2 Timothy 4:3–4. As Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” John 15:18. We are called to be His ambassadors, not His PR team. Our job isn’t to make Jesus more palatable; it’s to represent Him fully and faithfully.
Niceness, in the world’s eyes, is often about not rocking the boat. It’s about staying in the well, giving people just enough water to quench their thirst, without disrupting their lives. But Jesus calls us to something more, something that spills over, that flows freely and without restriction. Just as the well can’t contain the flood, our faith cannot be contained in silent actions alone. We must speak the truth of the gospel.
The Cost of Truth Entails Being Good and Being Bold.
Jesus warned us that following Him would come at a cost. “All men will hate you because of me” Mark 13:13. When we represent the real Jesus, we risk persecution and rejection. But avoiding conflict by staying silent or watering down the gospel makes us indistinguishable from the world. If we hold back, what are we offering? A polite version of Christianity that keeps everyone comfortable, puts cushions on the handcart to hell and fails to save lives.
D.L. Moody once said, “I like the way I do it better than the way you don’t do it.” In other words, even imperfect attempts to share the gospel are better than staying silent. Our job isn’t to make people like us, it’s to offer them the living water of Christ, even if that water disrupts their lives.
The Balance Needed between Love and Truth.
True love involves truth-telling, even when it’s hard. Galatians 6:1-3 calls us to gently restore those caught in sin, to help carry each other’s burdens. We hear people quote frequently “Where there are two or three gathered together there I am in the midst” Matthew 18:20 and whilst it’s a nice comforting pill to be taken it has nothing to do with congregations gathering together – rather Jesus being present when there is a “Disciplining Situation.” However, Jesus truly is there even when one, two or three or even more are trying to assist a restoration to life in Christ for the very first time. We can’t avoid the messiness of life; we can’t avoid the effects of the flood. But just as a surgeon uses a scalpel to heal, so we must use the truth in love to restore others.
Sometimes, this involves righteous anger towards sin, both in ourselves and others. But that anger is tempered with love, a love that seeks the ultimate good of the person, even if the process is painful.
Conclusion.
Let’s Open the Well Canal Locks and Let the Water Flow Freely.
Being good, in the way Jesus was, means letting the water flow, even if it soaks everything in its path. It means speaking the truth of the gospel, sharing the full message of salvation, even when it disrupts lives. Yes, there may be messes to clean up afterward, but we cannot withhold the life-giving water just because it might cause discomfort. The rivers of living water within us are meant to flow freely, touching every area of life.
Let’s not aim for niceness, which seeks only to maintain peace. Let’s aim for goodness, which brings life, even if it means getting a little messy along the way. Let’s unitedly as the “Church” be the well that overflows, and individually the conduits of the flood that changes everything it touches, not to destroy, but to bring the healing, life-giving power of Christ to a world that desperately needs it.
So, when we share the gospel, don’t leave it hanging. Have the courage to ask the crucial question, to pray with them, and to stand by them. Because niceness isn’t enough. We must be willing to go further, to guide them to the only source of living water that can truly satisfy their souls.
