Good is good enough

Some people say it puts too much pressure on a kid to name them after someone great.  I've often wondered about how our kids will view their names and the stories associated with them.  Each of them is named after a specific person and story.  On their birthdays, we get out the baby book and look at pictures of him or her and tell his or her name story.  We hope that during difficult times in their lives, their names will be a strength to them as they remember others who looked to the Lord for help.
In Helaman 5, Helaman talks to his sons, Nephi and Lehi, about why he named them after their forbears.  He says,

I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jeruslaem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them ; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written that they were good.  Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.

He doesn't say, "Lehi and Nephi were miraculous prophets who had dreams and visions, who started a new society and inherited a promised land."  He just says, they were good.  Their works were good.

When the Lord created the earth, after each stage, he looked and saw it was good.  Imagine creating a giraffe and simply calling it good.  I'd think it was great!  Fantastic! The most incredible thing ever, (which I consider my kids to be, by the way!) But the Lord simply calls it good.

Maybe good has gotten a bad rap lately with Elder Oaks' talk about "Good , Better, and Best."  We think good is the bare minimum.  But Elder Oaks was talking about our decisions, not our fruits.

Think of good in the scriptures.
Good is the opposite of evil. (Adam and Eve learn to distinguish good from evil.)
We should "seek riches for the intent to do good", Jacob 2:19
Whatsoever is good cometh of God, Alma 5:40
Whatsoever is light is good, Alma 32:35
Do good to them that hate you, 3 Ne. 12:44 (Matt. 5:44).
Whatsoever persuadeth men to do good is of Christ, for good cometh of none save Christ, Ether 4:12

So next time you get to the end of the day, and you look at your works and they were just good, pat yourself on the back.  No pressure.  Just go out and do some good works.  Cheer up a friend.  Read to a child.  Plant a garden.  Clean a home.  Teach.  And you will be in company with God's most incredible creations. God is satisfied with good.