Meditations on Goodness

Just for the sake of it.

Photo courtesy of Taylor Hill Interior Design featuring abstract diptych by artist, Michelle Owenby

Have you ever been around someone who was just good down to their core? You know, the kind of person who is always kind, always eager to help, and just generally gives you the warm fuzzies; someone who is just uncommonly good?

We might snarkily call people like that “goody-two-shoes” or a “goody-goody,” usually because 1) we feel judged by that person or 2) we compare ourselves to them and end up falling short. That kind of goodness isn’t necessarily enviable, is it?? Listen, I’m not saying it’s right; I’m just sayin’!

The goodness that I’m talking about IS the enviable kind. It’s the kind of goodness where people act on someone else’s behalf without being asked, doing the right thing even when it’s hard, takes longer than it should, or when there is absolutely no benefit to you. That’s the true spirit of goodness. It comes straight from the heart, is a gift from God, and has no other motive.

I want to exude goodness, don’t you?! And I want it to make in impact in the world, I want it to count, I want it to mean something. We experience God’s goodness every single day of our lives if we are paying attention. All we have to do is soak up that goodness and then just let it flow right back out of us onto someone or something else. After all, God is the source.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Here are some ways you can fill up on God’s goodness today:

• Sit silently in nature and observe the magnitude of it all.

• Observe goodness in someone you know.

• Keep a “stones of remembrance” journal of all your answered prayers. Visit it often.

• See God’s goodness in His Word.

• Count your blessings.

• Take account of all the ways you have been provided for.

• Wake up tomorrow and let your first thought be, “Thank you, God, for another day.”

• Recall all the ways you have been forgiven.

• Realize that every act of kindness is a reflection of God’s perfect goodness.

• Take time to remember the sacrifice made on the Cross.

If that’s not enough, here is some Scripture to meditate on:

• His goodness is always with us (Psalm 23:6).

• Everything good comes from God (James 1:17).

• He fills our hungry souls with good things (Psalm 107:8-9).

• He is good, does good, and gives good gifts to his children (Psalm 119:68, Luke 11:13).

I can start there. Will you join me?

Want to go deeper on Goodness? Check out this post.