But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ~Galatians 5:22-23a CSB

What is the fruit of goodness? We know it is a fruit of the Spirit, but how does it look?

We see goodness in the nurse who, in the midst of her busy schedule, risks losing her job to kneel by the bed of a dying patient to inquire whether her patient is God’s child. Discovering that the patient isn’t, the nurse leads her in prayer to accept God’s gift of salvation.

We see goodness in the man who endangers his life when he stops to change someone’s tire. He does the job although the interstate is busy and vehicles pass only inches away from him.

Goodness is seen in a child who breaks his brownie into two pieces and shares half with his little sister. He chooses to share rather than eat it all by himself.

As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, He wants us to grow in goodness, so we can become more like Him. Jesus was fully human, but, unlike us, He never sinned. We can ask Him to help us overcome our natural inclination to sin so we can live a life of gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness.

God’s goodness leads us to repentance and salvation. When the fruit of goodness operates in us, God will draw unbelievers to Him. Unbelievers witness God’s goodness in action and want the same.

Charles Spurgeon was a preacher and writer who lived during the nineteenth century. While writing a commentary about Psalm 46, he said God is not good because He makes good things happen in our lives. Nor will He protect us from the storms of life. He is good because He comes closer to us than any storm ever could. We can know for certain God is good. In life’s hardest moments, He is with us. He never quits, and He will never let go of us.

The following verses help us understand the significance of goodness. As believers, we know God wants only good for us. I encourage you to memorize these verses or write them on sticky notes or index cards to remind you of God’s goodness.

Psalm 23:6 NIV: Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. We can live out the fruit of goodness with confidence that we will dwell with God forever.

Galatians 6:10 ESV: So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. We know God wants us to do good to others, especially to fellow believers.

Ephesians 5:8-9 CEB: Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. The light Jesus gives us will produce only good things.

Psalm 27:13 RSV: I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. We can see the Lord’s goodness on earth, as we will one day in heaven.

Romans 12:21 ESV: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. We can overcome evil with good thoughts and deeds.

Psalm 145:9 NLT: The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. We know that God is good and shows compassion to us and to all creation.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. We are God’s, created in Jesus Christ to do good works, which God has prepared for us to accomplish.

Psalm 34:8 CEB: Taste and see how good the LORD is! The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy! As we learn how good the Lord is, we can know happiness when we take refuge in Him.

Romans 12:2 NASB: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. We can be transformed by renewing our minds by not going along with others down destructive paths. Instead, we can learn the will of God and know how good and perfect His will is.

Psalm 107:1 CEB: Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever! We can give thanks to the Lord because He loves us with an everlasting love.

Share how God has shown His extraordinary goodness to you.

Father God, reveal Your great goodness to me and show me how to share Your goodness with others as Jesus did when He lived on earth. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2020: The Fruit of Goodness: Evelyn Mason Wells: All Rights Reserved