“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalms 107:8-9.
“God is good” has been repeated so often that, for many, it has lost its meaning. Yet, when we consider the alternative—that God could be evil, or vindictive, or tyrannical—a new appreciation for God’s goodness is born in us. The divine nature, which may be understood as the intrinsic attributes of God’s character, defines Him as fundamentally good. It is this attribute that secures our safety and well being in this life and in the life to come.
While goodness resembles kindness, it moves in a very different direction. Goodness, from the Greek word agathosune, is aggressive, whereas kindness conveys a more passive emotion or demeanor. One cannot be good without doing good. Thus, God is good in fact as well as in theory. He is good in his deeds, in His performance and in the actual implementation of His will on earth. He doesn’t just think good thoughts, he performs good actions toward us.
The Bible lists goodness as one of the nine fruits of the Spirit. Goodness creates within us a willingness and desire to perform good actions. When you get plugged into God’s goodness, you will rise above mediocrity and will strive for excellence in every area of life. The good person, in the spiritual sense, wants to be beneficial to everyone in every act, and finds the greatest fulfillment in doing good deeds.
Convert your good intentions into good actions.