(Show Them Your Goodness, and They’ll Show You Their Faithfulness)
Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10 (NIV)
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16 10-12 (NKJ)
GOODNESS: The state of being good, the quality of being morally good or virtuous.
Goodness is the 6th fruit of the Spirit. It can often be seen in our actions, but our heart also has to be pure. The goodness of Christ should be demonstrated in our lives every day. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)
Goodness is shown by God in His activity. God is the standard for understanding goodness and following Him inspires us to do good. In the long line of evil kings in Israel and Judah, King Hezekiah stands out as one of the only good kings. He showed goodness through his actions and decrees, and his goodness was rooted in his love for God. When we say that we love God, does goodness show in our actions, the way we interact with Him, other people and/or ourselves?
FAITHFULNESS: To be faithful to something is to be devoted to it, dedicated, committed, loyal. To be faithful means to be trustworthy and reliable.
Faithfulness is the 7th fruit of the Spirit. God calls us to be faithful, first and foremost, to Him. He wants us to be devoted to Him, loyal to Him, committed to Him. When we are faithful there is a reward in Heaven for us. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:23 (NIV)
Being faithful gives you peace of mind, you don’t have to watch your back, you are not paranoid, trying to remember every lie you’ve told. You are focused, not distracted by other people or objects. Anyone who believes and is faithful to God unlocks His divine blessing. “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV)
Time To Reflect:
- Are there things in your life that you are loyal to that might take away from your goodness or faithfulness to God as opposed to strengthen it? What are those things?
- Are there some things that you might be loyal to here on Earth that are distracting you from being good or faithful to God?
- If so, what can you do to reset that compass to make sure that you’re good/faithful to the one true God?
Really take the time to answer these questions! Reflection gives us greater self-awareness – It allows us to separate our own perception from a situation as an objective observer. We’ll begin to notice our own thoughts and feelings. From there, we can examine our perception by thinking about it as a “story” we are telling ourselves about any given situation.
Then pray and ask God to show you where you are not showing goodness or being faithful!
I believe that if we show others our goodness, they’ll show us their faithfulness!
Let me end with this – As I was thinking of writing this week’s blog, this song came to mind – Great Is Your Mercy by Donnie McClurkin, it speaks of God’s faithfulness and His goodness, here are a few of the lyrics.
Forever faithful towards me
You’re always providing for me
Great is Your mercy towards me
Great is Your grace
