By Jerrica K Ching

What does it mean to be good? For youth, it is a statement we often hear from others based on their observations about our skill level. I’m sure at some point in our lives we’ve heard, “You’re so good at ____” whether it was from a parent, friend, or peer. Although these words of praise give us a sense of pride and dopamine, what does it mean to truly embody goodness?

Galatians 6:9 states, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” As I reflect upon this verse, I think of what it means to do good work in servitude of God. Those of us who serve our communities – whether it is through medicine, ministry, or mental health – know that there will be days when we are incredibly worn down and weary with doing good.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I heard countless stories from family members who serve as nurses in hospitals, some in the ICU, and how they battled through the harshest of conditions with the sickest of patients–sometimes even on the receiving end of curses, yelling, or even physical aggression from a patient’s family who was processing bad news. Yet these nurses did not give up, even though they were truly weary. I know of those in ministry who were tasked with bringing their congregation together to instill hope in new online formats, and to foster a sense of togetherness even though many of us were on laptops and sometimes very alone. I know of others like me who provided mental health services to students who were grieving the loss of a complete high school experience they would never get back, or for parents who were navigating different dynamics with everyone in the home. While many of us were doing good work serving others, we too were simultaneously processing and grappling with the very shaky state of the world at the time. I am positive that there were others of you who, like me, felt uncertain if you could maintain the course and continue to bestow hope and light for others while we felt darkness creeping in around us.

Referring back to Galatians 6:9, what would it look like to “reap a harvest?” When is “the proper time?” I know that only God truly knows and has those answers, however I can’t help but notice small shifts that indicate the seeds of our work. I know of many families who have praised nurses and doctors for doing everything they could to save a family member–from families whose family member survived and from those who didn’t. I know of many people who found a sense of belonging and community with a congregation online, even if they hadn’t stepped foot in a church before. I also know of many students and parents who are much closer now, with a renewed understanding of how to support one another during a time of great turmoil.

I don’t know if the harvest we will reap will ever be a grand ordeal for all to witness, as I know there are many, many, many parts of this world where it is difficult to continue to do good work due to the political climate of a country, or due to continual loss of precious resources to some communities. I do know though, that we have all been given gifts from God, and may we continue to serve Him by doing His good work.

Jerrica KF Ching grew up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and currently lives in the beautiful state of Washington, working as a licensed mental health counselor and Asian/Pacific Islander mental health specialist, working with children, teens, and adults within the AAPI community. She graduated with an MA in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling from George Fox University, where she is now an adjunct professor and supervisor. Her research on racial colorblindness has been published in The International Journal of Social Science Studies.