Stop Trying to Be Good
Christianity is not about behaving; it's about belonging. A reflection on David's final song and the scandalous grace of God.
Christianity Is Not About Being Good
We live in a world that often confuses Christianity with “being a good person.”
If you grew up in the South like I did, you probably got some version of moral therapeutic deism sold to you as Christianity:
Show up to worship.
Say the right things.
Look the part.
Always make the right choices.
Do all that, and God will bless you. You’ll feel good about yourself.
It is all so terribly good.
At my school, the message was clear: don’t bring your family or your community into disrepute. If you did, you wouldn’t be invited back. That’s the way many of us learned Christianity—behaving and not belonging.
But the Gospel breaks in and shatters that illusion.
David’s Testimony: Belonging, Not Behaving
As we come to 2 Samuel 22, David is near the end of his life. He begins to sing, but not about his victories or cleverness. He sings about God’s faithfulness:
“My rock, my fortress, my deliverer… my shield… my stronghold… my refuge… my savior.” (2 Sam 22:2–4)
Ten times he says my. David isn’t writing a theology paper—he’s giving a testimony:
This is the God who knows me. This is the God I know.
Of course, David talks about his clean hands (22:21–25) and strains credibility. Bathsheba? Uriah? He wouldn’t have lasted long at my school.
But that’s the point. God didn’t show up because David was flawless. God showed up because David belonged to Him. That’s covenant.
God Keeps Showing Up
From beginning to end, David’s story is God’s story:
God drew him out of “the mighty waters” (22:17).
God set him in “a broad place” (22:20).
God was his lamp in the dark (22:29).
God shielded him when enemies closed in (22:31).
David’s strength was real, but it was borrowed strength. His righteousness mattered, but it was received righteousness.
At the end, what lasts is not David’s résumé—it’s God’s: steadfast love and promise forever.
“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock, the Rock of my salvation.” (22:47)
Why This Matters for Us
Christianity is not about behaving. It’s about belonging.
Jesus is not “a Savior” but my Savior. Not “the Rock” but my Rock. That’s not pride—it’s adoption.
“He brought me out… because He delighted in me.” (22:20)
Sit with that. Revel in that. God delights in you.
Maybe you’re proud of your record. Maybe you’re ashamed of it. Maybe you’ve got a rap sheet—or maybe a list of victories. Either way, the grace is the same: God keeps showing up.
He shows up in the valley and in the victory.
He shows up in the poor house and the country club house.
He shows up at hospital beds and kitchen tables, in classrooms and job sites.
He shows up in grief and in laughter.
He shows up because you are His. And He is yours.
Takeaway
Being a Christian isn’t about being good.
It’s about belonging to the One who is good.
A Question for You:
How has the pressure to "be good" helped or hindered your relationship with God? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
If this reflection was meaningful to you, please consider sharing it with someone who might need to hear it.