Character in Marriage - GOODNESS

 

We continue to discuss character in the home and today's character trait is interesting. It is goodness and our theme scripture remains the same. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law - Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

Goodness!!! (I am not referring to the exclamation - “Oh my goodness” which is usually used to express shock, surprise or awe)

So, what is goodness? Well, let's start with the word Good from which the word goodness is derived. It means to the required qualities and at a high standard. It also means to be morally upright. In the Bible, the word good means moral goodness but also refers to outward beauty that is aesthetically pleasing. The second meaning was what God meant during the creation in Genesis 1. Everything he made was good or aesthetically pleasing. So God is good inside out. He is morally upright and aesthetically pleasing. Or better put, the things God does are morally upright and they also look good outwardly. 

This does not refer to being beautiful or handsome. It refers to the things that person does. When we say God is good or a good God, we refer to the things God does. Like saving us from destruction, blessing us with something or someone, showing us what to do in a situation or giving us favor in another. All that God does is good. He is a good God so his goodness is the signature on all he does. It is like his copyright. God's goodness is evident in who he is and in what he does.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow - James 1:17 NLT

God only does good!!!

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! - Psalms 34:8 NLT

This is an open invitation to come to God and experience his goodness in all aspects of our life.

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him - Nahum 1:7 NLT

God's goodness here is revealed in how he protects his people in times of trouble and in how he takes care of his children.

So, we see goodness in his person and in the things he does. But how does goodness work in a person or what would goodness look like in a person? It would reflect in the things they do as well. It would reflect in how they behave and what they stand for. 

Often when my husband wants to describe certain men he knows, he will say, “Ah, Mr. So and so is a good man”. When I hear him say this, I know the man must be a morally upright man, dependable, a man of his word and a man who goes out of his way to be good to others.  

So does that describe you? Can someone describe you as a “good” person? Can your family AND your spouse describe you as a good person? If you are not sure this word describes you, you can change that and begin to practice being morally upright. Begin to practice being a person who stands for the right things based on God's word. This means, whenever a situation presents itself, you respond in a way that is honest, decent and always do the right thing using God's word as your compass. 

This means you will probably have to start checking yourself before you act. “Is this a good way to do that?” “Is it good to lie about what I did?” “Is it good to pretend I am not well to avoid sex?” “Is it good to change the story to fit my narrative?” Begin to ask yourself that question? “Is it good…….?”

The truth is that you can probably do better. We all can. We all can practice goodness and I suspect we will have to practice it quite a bit before people begin to say, ‘She is a good woman’ or ‘he is a good man’. But even if nobody acknowledges your goodness, let it be that in God's eyes, you are good just like him. You are good as a person, in the way you behave and by the things you do. 

And this character trait will do your home a lot of 'good' too 😉. 

<a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/headshot-handsome-young-afro-american-male-looking-with-broad-friendly-smile-enjoying-good-day-leisure-time-indoors-black-man-feeling-happy-carefree-while-relaxing-home_9438105.htm#query=black%20man%20smiling&position=3&from_view=keyword&track=ais_hybrid&uuid=33006546-d1c9-4060-931c-ad36dd729cb2">Image by wayhomestudio</a> on Freepik