I must confess (and admit that I am not proud) that there have been times in my life when I have heard the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control and I think “OH BROTHER, AND COTTON CANDY, ROSES AND RAINBOWS!”
I can’t even articulate why I felt that way. Was it just too nicey-nicey? Was it too unattainable? Were these characteristics things that sometimes got pushed aside as I worked to check off my to do list? I now realize that the fruit of the Spirit is the characteristics of God. As we become more like Him, these characteristics become evident in us.
This week as I thought about goodness, I realized that the ultimate way God showed us his goodness is by saving us! Jesus died on the cross to pay for sins he did not commit because of his goodness. We were undeserving because we were still sinners, (Romans 5:8), but out of his goodness and mercy, he chose to save us.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior...” Titus 3:4-6.
God is generous towards us, not treating us as our sins deserve but instead washing and renewing us.
We can also see the goodness of God on a daily basis. We can see God’s goodness in a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, or even the smile or kiss of a child. We can see his goodness in his protection and care. He is a present help in times of trouble. If we look, we can see God’s goodness all around us.
One experience in my life that I will never forget demonstrates the goodness of God through the generosity of a total stranger. I was at the family therapy part of my sister’s month-long stay in an alcohol rehab. She was doing wonderfully and was getting so much out of the program. Her counselor suggested she stay for an additional 60 days and my sister really wanted to. The problem was that my sister didn’t have money or insurance for the stay. I shared that in the family session which also included other patients and families as well. On the next break, a woman walked up to me and offered to help with my sister’s expenses. She said she had wished her daughter would want to stay but she would not so the woman wanted to help someone who wanted to get better. She wrote me a check on the spot. I stood and watched her write the check, She wrote $50 and then another 0 (and I thought: “$500 — helpful but not nearly enough”), and then she added another 0. This stranger gave me $5,000! I was speechless. The really interesting part of that experience was that her last name was Cross. No kidding! How is that for a Godwink! In that moment, I felt the love and goodness of God, not just for my sister, but also for myself! This generosity reminded me that God’s goodness is his bounty and blessing. Like God, she gave with no hidden motive or agenda. Like God, she gave, not because I did anything to deserve it but out of her own abundance. It was humbling to experience such a gift. And that is just a speck of the lavish love and goodness of God.
If you continue reading in Titus 3, verse 8 says “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.” The Holy Spirit washes and renews us SO THAT we can devote ourselves to good works. We are supposed to “pay it forward” so to speak. We are to model God’s goodness to us by showing it to others. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of Christ in us. As I see the character of God, as I experience it, I should want to act accordingly. That is how we make Christ known in the world.
Right now, in our country, we have opportunities to show goodness. The Greek word for goodness is agathosune which means uprightness of heart and life. Goodness involves righteousness in action. It involves doing the next right thing. I’m not going to tell you how to do that; I’m not going to mention words that have become inflammatory. I’m going to ask you to ask the Holy Spirit what living a life of goodness looks like in our world right now.
Let’s encourage one another. How have you experienced the goodness of God? Please share below.
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
Bonnie Kotler loves to laugh and considers laughter as the best medicine (Psalm 126:2). She is a licensed professional counselor at The Peacemaker Center and has her own private practice, True North Counseling. Bonnie and her husband, Mitch, have two daughters, three sons, five grandchildren, a 125 pound mastiff and three grand-puppies.
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