The Christian and goodness

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, temperance; the law is not against these things” gal 5:22-23

1/ Definition: what is goodness?

Goodness is the quality of a good person; benevolence, altruism, generosity.

The adjective good means pleasant, charitable, virtuous; This is said of someone who seeks the interest of others and not just his own interest, who is benevolent, therefore who is well disposed towards others.

2/The goodness of God

What the goodness of God is:

God is good to us (Ps 73:1) he looks at us with kindness, his plans for us are plans of happiness and never misfortune (Jer 29:11), he wants us to be happy, he cares about our well-being

"because God is good, Psalm 86:5 For you are good, Lord, you forgive, you are full of love to all who call on you,  he forgives us, he is full of love to all who call on him,

He brings us to repentance,He watches over us, he provides daily bread, he protects us, advises us when we are afflicted, comforts us in sorrow

What the goodness of God is not!

Consider therefore the goodness and severity of God; severity towards those who have fallen, and goodness  of God towards you, if you remain steadfast in this goodness; otherwise you will also be cut off. Romans 11. 22

God’s goodness does not mean that He is pleased with you when you sin, but He rejoices when you repent; some people think that God is so good that he will overlook all their faults, even if they have spent their lives in fornication, adultery, God will still open the door to paradise for them, this is very false, God is good but does not accept sin.

3/As a Christian you must be good

Goodness is part of the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4 32.

3.1/Kindness leads to compassion

Compassion is the feeling of sympathy for the suffering of others.

En as a child of GOD; we must be filled with kindness and compassion, feeling a strong emotion which will touch us to the depths of our soul when we find ourselves faced with people in difficulty, which will push us to reach out to them, to help them, morally and especially spiritually.

When the good Samaritan saw this injured man, he came to help him, there was a Levite perhaps a deacon, he was going to church, he was late he passed by but the good Samaritan took the time to help him. Luke 10:33 “But a traveling Samaritan, when he came there, was moved with compassion when he saw him. »

Let us do it with all the strength of the Holy Spirit and zeal.

Another illustration of the way Jesus sees people, when he is in the middle of the crowd, is given to us in the gospel of Mark 1. 40 to 42

A leper came to him; and, throwing himself on his knees, he said to him in a pleading tone (faith).

If you want, you, canx make me pure,             ;

Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out his hand and touched him, I am willing, be pure.

Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

In the midst of a crowd of tired and hungry people, Jesus nevertheless heard the cry of this leper; he was moved with compassion and took the time to stretch out his hand to cleanse him of his leprosy.

Jesus had compassion on the widow of Nain at the funeral of her son. He saw the deep sorrow of this woman and he was moved.

Jesus was not indifferent to people’s pain. People never bothered or bothered him. Instead, he saw their actions as opportunities to help them.

But what about you, the bible says in 2 Tim 3:16, that in the last days the charity of many will grow cold, can those around you say that you are good? What do your neighbors, your colleagues say? Are you compassionate towards them?

3.2/ Kindness leads to forgiveness

Some people spent time investing in the lives of others and then when others are not grateful, you say that you bent your finger against them, you forgave but you did not forget, don't you know that you must remain good even to ungrateful people who do not deserve it, it is not about showing your kindness only to those who deserve it, but also to those who do not deserve it.

Your goodness must push you to forgive, in 2 Samuel 9, it is the story of David who welcomes Mefibaal into his home, for those who have already read 1 Samuel, it is the story of Saul who pursues David to kill him, but the goodness of David will push him to forgive Saul, and to remember his friendship with Jonathan, Mefibaal is the grandson of Saul who wanted to kill David, but David who is good will welcome him into his home and offer him land

What about you? Have you forgiven those who hurt you? Are you one of those who forgive and don’t forget? Your kindness will help you forgive and forget.

3.3/Goodness is active

When we see people in need, if we are good, we think about the best way to help them.

The Good Samaritan not only felt compassion for the injured traveler, he also did everything possible to help him.  The bandits could also have attacked him, he didn't just say "sit down and pass, he paid for his care out of his own pockets

The good Samaritan went to this injured man, he spoke to him, he bandaged him, he took him to a place where he could rest, be cared for and heal.

Compassion without action is worthless, just like faith without works is dead. James 2:26

 In our own homes, our family, our children,  uncles,  aunts  maybe our parents  may have  problems. let us be attentive, listen to them, let us show kindness towards them, it is not by leaving them in difficulty that we must abandon them, distance ourselves, but on the contrary, let us take care of them as the good Samaritan did and as our good heavenly Father does for us.

3.4/ What goodness is not:

Goodness is not always giving people what they want, because what they want can harm them, if it is not really useful.

For example, if every time your children ask you for something you give it to them, this could create problems for them. if your son asks you for a knife or a gun, you're not going to give it to him in the name of kindness

Also, kindness does not imply that you go buy people drinks or cigarettes to show them that you are good, cooperate with them in their bad things.

How to carry this quarter of the fruit of the spirit?

So then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience. Colossians 3:12

Goodness, like the other fruits of the Spirit, is something we must put on every day, like a garment.

God does not ask us something impossible, he encourages us to do it because we are attached to Him, as the oath is attached to the Vine, it is a personal and deliberate decision. To be attached to Him is to have good communion with Him, that is the key.

We must Pray to the Father every day, that he may put in our hearts love for others and thathis Spirit may produce in us the goodness of Christ.

It may happen that we are disappointed with the people we have helped, that they take advantage of us, that they use us or are dishonest towards us, this should not prevent us from doing acts of kindness. Even if we are manipulated or deceived we must persevere in exercising kindness, as Jesus says:

Memory verse

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend without expecting anything. Your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is good to the ungrateful and to the wicked; Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” Luke 6:35/36