Article October 5, 2015 Issue

‘How are you?’

Cheryl Ranson

It’s a common question, often answered with a casual “Good” that can seem perfunctory, even unthinking.

“Good” may not be grammatically correct—“how” usually calls for an adverb, as in “Doing well.” But “Good” has begun to feel like a great response to me. While a simple greeting isn’t an existential inquiry, it does ask for a comment about our actual status or condition. That’s when it makes sense to reference primal facts about ourselves and anyone we’re greeting.

The Bible makes our goodness clear up front: “God created man in his own image,” and “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31). As God is the only cause, His effect is good. As the only Spirit, or substance, His manifestation is good. As the only Life, His being is good. Man, every one of us, is integral to this all-good kingdom. As the highest expression of God’s unfolding nature, man makes God’s goodness fully evident.

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