Grace & The Ability To Do Good

[MissyP89]

I've been slowly working my way through the Catechism over the past several months and am stumbling over this line:

 

1709: He who believes in Christ becomes a son of God. This filial adoption transforms him by giving him the ability to follow the example of Christ. It makes him capable of acting rightly and doing good...

 

To me, this implies that without belief in Jesus, we are completely incapable of doing anything right.

 

If this is true, then why are atheists and others compassionate and capable of goodness?

 

Can someone put this in perspective for me?

[CatherineM]

You ask deep questions grasshopper.

To put it in perspective, Fr. Paul once told me that you can go your entire life without seeing a dentist, and still keep your teeth, but going to the dentist every 6 months sure makes it easier to keep them all.