Nine Fruits: Part Six ~ Goodness

Goodness, gracious! I thought this was going to be an easy post!

I have taken much time, thought, and consideration before I decided to approach this subject. When I looked into the definition of goodness, it says, “the quality of being good.” Well, that sounds easy. But, when I started to really really study and revel in the thought of being “good” I am learning that being good is definitely a learned trait, not an innate quality.

No Naysayers, please…

Newborn babies are the sweetest human beings on the planet. I know – I have given birth to four of them. Each one is a precious, delicate, beautiful gift from God. Yet, newborn babies do not know how to be “good.” They are unable to understand what it means to know right from wrong, have self-control, or show love and empathy. They only know how to cry and to eat. But, as time goes on, and that helpless little newborn starts to develop a personality, the mother and father begin to see that some training is in order.

I can attest to that fact when my little girl was six months old. All of a sudden, this happy baby turned into a little temper-tantrum monster! What? How can a sweet, innocent, beautiful baby throw such a fit that she looks like “Jack-Jack” in The Incredibles?

Case in Point: Goodness, or the quality of being good, must be learned. So, in my experience, and also reassured through my faith, that goodness is a trait of the Holy Spirit.

Goodness is a wonderful trait, and everybody can learn to be good. The only problem with being good is, “how good do I have to be to be good enough?” The answer lies in the truth of the Bible. If goodness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, then being good enough is based on the Bible’s standards of obedience, honesty, knowing right from wrong, and etc… I could go on and on. The moral compass that I follow, and have taught my children to follow, is based on God’s Word. Just because I may believe something to be good and right, may not necessarily be good and right to another person. Yet, if we follow the Owner’s Manual, the Bible, the standard has been set right there… and we’ve all been able to read it since 1599!

So, in closing, goodness is awesome. I love being around people who display goodness. Children who display good behavior are a JOY to be around. Adults who display good behavior are ENCOURAGING to be around.

And God saw everything He had created, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)