The 1997 movie “Good Will Hunting” took America by storm – receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay – giving Robin Williams an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The careers of its authors, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, took off. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 97% rating. Remarkable.
Hunting for Good Will
Friend, are you convinced that good will is “out there?” To many, the universe appears impersonal. Reasons for optimism seem sporadic. In the long curve of the universe, we feel the pressure of darkness.
A friend and his wife had two children. Pregnant with their third child, that child died by miscarriage in February. In March, their 4-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In May, that child died on a Disney trip sponsored by Make a Wish. Then, that fall, pregnant again, their newly conceived child died by miscarriage. Three GREAT losses in less than a year.
Why hope?
“Reciprocal altruism” describes folk who plant good will anticipating later reaping a harvest. Shall we thus soldier on? Perhaps. At the movie’s end, despite all his challenges, Will says: “I gotta go see about a girl.”
But, in this column, we consider altruism without the promise of reciprocity. Jesus calls us steadfastly to show good will – living the reality: “This is my Father’s world.”
Hunting in the Minutia of the Bible
Some Biblical clues are tiny. But with Holy Spirit-inspired Scripture, even a word or two can give us true insight into the BIG picture.
Here, our clues are three closely related words from: “eu” = “good” + “noeo” = “will.” These two very similar Greek words are only used once in the most reliable Greek texts. A less reliable manuscript uses a third. Let’s take these rare words as pinpricks opening a gateway for wonders of light and goodness to pierce our darkness.
Jesus, Matthew 5:25 – “Eunoeo”
(NASV): “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way.” Jesus advocates being kindly disposed to our “accuser” – literally, one who is “anti” – “against” + “dikon” – “justice.” Wow. Peter adds depth by calling the devil our “enemy” – “antidikon” (1 Peter 5:8).
What? How can we ever show good will on our way to court? Think toxic divorce. Jesus, this is too high of a standard – like a 200-mph fastball. A pro may be able to hit a 100-mph fastball – but not one 200-mph. We swing, and we miss. Strike One.
A few verses later, Jesus dares to teach: “I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (5:44). Here “love” is “agape” – not “feelings” of love but a “settled positive disposition toward.” Toward whom? “Your enemies” – those who are openly hostile to you, those who have a deep-seated hatred for you.
Jesus, here’s another 200-mph fastball. Strike Two.
Paul, Ephesians 6:7 – “Eunoias”
Maybe we’ll do better with Paul. ESV – “Render service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.” OK, enslaved Christians are to show good will to their masters.
But, here’s the kicker. Paul does not distinguish between masters who are Christians and those who are not. In other words, Christian, if you have a harsh, negligent, or narcissistic boss/coach who repeatedly abuses authority, consistently show good will to him or her.
What?! Paul, you throw fastballs like Jesus. Strike Three!
Paul, I Corinthians 7:3 – “Eunoian”
Here Greek texts differ. One without “eunoian” gives us: NIV – 1 Cor. 7:3 “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.” How bold. Marriage means such humility, such willingness to be intimate. Despite the awkwardness of sexual intimacy even between spouses, Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 7:5 – “Do not deprive each other except by “mutual consent” (“symphonou” – the origin of our word “symphony”!). Here’s another fastball!
However, a less reliable text significantly ups the speed of the pitch by qualifying “duty” with “eunoian.” KJV: “Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence (not mere duty – but duty with genuine kindness): and likewise, also the wife unto the husband.”
Now, this question presents itself: If sex in marriage without specifying “good will” leads to a symphony, what would intimacy with good will lead to? Aha! Strike Four!
Why the Strike Outs?
These pinpricks show us how different God’s kingdom is from how we live. We allow too much distance. We let fear win. We abdicate. We alienate. We believe lies. We trample on others. Going to court, being a slave, and even being married exacerbates our failures. In God’s league, let’s admit we have gone down swinging.
The Gospel teaches us – don’t bring your resources hoping to impress God. Jesus begins: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” – those utterly without resources – “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Get this. Jesus bats a 1000. Christian, he has gone to bat for you and hit it out of the park. Relying on Jesus’ work on the cross, God reconciles sinners like us with himself. Holy God! “Behold, what manner of love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1). We are astonished at such good will.
And still more, since Jesus has poured out his Spirit on those who believe, God’s light pierces our darkness. So we get in the game. We express good will to our enemies, masters, spouses, and many more. “This is my Father’s world! And though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet!”
Oh, and what about the couple who lost three children in a year? They went hunting for good will. They risked birth again – three more times. When they introduce their family, they sometimes say: “We have seven children – three in heaven and four here.”
