In the beginning, God called creation TOV (good). In the end, the hope of all followers of God is to hear him say to us “Well done, good and faithful servant.” TOV, then, is God’s ultimate approval that all creation seeks.

We all want approval. Some people define their lives by whose approval they get.
Why do we do this?
Why are some of us tempted to be “people pleasers”?

Christ shows us a different way to live… A way that dwells on the approval of God. Consider the “sermon on the mount” starting in Matthew 5.
How does each of the “Beatitudes” start?
What does that phrase mean?

Continue on to Matthew 6.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. —Matthew 6:1 (NLT)
Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. —Matthew 6:4 (NLT)
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. —Matthew 6:6 (NLT)
Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. —Matthew 6:18 (NLT)

What is the common theme in these verses?

According to Christ, we play to an audience of One. The only one we should be striving to please is God. And when we please God, we get his ultimate word of approval… TOV.

When God spoke from heaven at the baptism of Jesus, he said… “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
That was TOV. And this same TOV is offered to those who are Christ-like.

Consider the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30.

Why is the 3rd servant cast out?
How does the master articulate his approval of the first two servants?
Why is the master pleased with them?

Every one of us have been given something by God. And if we want to hear “well done, good and faithful servant”… we need to put our God given gifts to work.

How do we put our God given gifts to work?

TOV encompasses the span of history. At creation, God looked at his handiwork, and when he got everything right where he wanted it, he gave it his ultimate stamp of approval: “TOV!” Fast-forward to the final judgement, and there is only one word we want to hear: “TOV!” God’s TOV is only approval that matters.