Traveling has becoming second nature to me. What was hard has become second nature. I am so used to living out of a suitcase and containers that I’ve learned to minimize, and know where everything is located. What seemed to be overwhelming I found, to actually be simplified living. Now, when I need to head out the door quickly, it takes very little thought and prep-time. Sure, like you--the decisions about what to wear are still there, but when you can only take fifty pounds you learn what is light weight and how to mix and match. I still struggle in the area of shoes, because after all shoes and jewelry make the outfit. Planning however, makes prepared.
The point I am wanting to share with you, is that it takes time to become what God wants you to become. Whatever vocation or occupation you are called to, it will take grooming and growth, in your person, to get you there. Where do you want to be in five years? What about next year? Can you walk away from your home, refrigerator, car, lawn and come back to a neat and tidy environment? Or will you find the trash smells, the laundry in the washer is molded and the plants are dead? In order to spin more plates, we have to keep spinning the ones it took to get us to our present location, or train others to spin plates. Teaching is much harder than doing it yourself. Teaching takes time, then training begins, and then finally trust is established. We have to plan to be good and practice being good and we see good by seeing God and them reflecting Him to others.
One of the manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit is Goodness. Goodness is manifested by us in three outward actions. Allow me share them with you:
1. You must be good to all the things that God has put under your care.
God has put part of His creation under your dominion—some a lot, some little. You are called to be good to your portion—care for it, improve it, look after it. Understand what I’m talking about? Property—wealth, house, animals
talents, opportunities, vocation, and even the people who are under your care. Called to be a good steward. You are to stoop down, as God does, and be good to your little part of life, people and the things you own.
Whatever is in your means you are called to take what the Lord has given you and build a good life. The “good life” is not what Americans mean when they say that—two cars, and a boat, stuff, but building a good, orderly, peaceful life.
We do that by making decisions based on God’s word, and the promptings of Holy Spirit. A good life like this is attractive to people, and helpful to them.
If your life was falling apart who would you go to for help?
A person whose life is characterized by chaos, panic, wild spending and debt, broken relationships and failed promises? Of course not. You would seek a person who has a truly good life. You know that there would be reserves of goodness to help you. Bad living seems so attractive. Excess, dissipation deplete our reserves. But, a lifestyle that builds up no capital to be good to others is a wasted life.
A good life comes through good stewardship of all the things God has given. Be good to them—God has given them to you. You might not have as much as other people have—but that doesn’t matter, that is God’s business.
2. You must be good to all sorts of people.
“As the opportunity arises, do good to all, especially those of household of faith.” All kinds of people.
As you walk through life you are going to meet all sorts of people: different races, different religions, different social/economic status’s, different moral standards, we will meet the washed and the unwashed. W can’t say—these aren’t my kind. God is good to all people. Rain and sunshine on all He created. All people are to be objects of our goodness as opportunity presents itself. Goodness in many forms—mercy, pity, friendliness (all different ways) of stooping.
3. You must be good to those people with whom you are in covenant.
Peter—love each other deeply (each other, fellow Christians, church members) special goodness to be extended to fellow believers. These are the people we are going to be spending eternity with. The wonderful thing about church life is we have lots of opportunities for good, and we will see results forever as we stay in a particular church, get to know people, and choose to stoop to them.
The other covenant that is most binding is covenant of marriage.
Husbands—be good to your wives. Woman wish their husband would treat them like the dog, hey girl, wanna go for a walk. At least the dog gets petted. Right? Yet, often the husband barely says anything, or says something mean and critical.
Do you see how hypocritical it is for a man to be good to his car—change oil, good to take care of the finances—carefully budgets, keeps track of money, good to people at work (customers, employees treat with respect) but not be good to his wife, united in holy covenant?
On the other hand. When a Christian man is good to his wife—stoops down in love, kindness, patience, sympathy—how that goodness overflows to the children, the people in workplace, maybe even to the dog.
1. You must be good to all the things that God has put under your care.
God has put part of His creation under your dominion—some a lot, some little. You are called to be good to your portion—care for it, improve it, look after it. Understand what I’m talking about? Property—wealth, house, animals
talents, opportunities, vocation, and even the people who are under your care. Called to be a good steward. You are to stoop down, as God does, and be good to your little part of life, people and the things you own.
Whatever is in your means you are called to take what the Lord has given you and build a good life. The “good life” is not what Americans mean when they say that—two cars, and a boat, stuff, but building a good, orderly, peaceful life.
We do that by making decisions based on God’s word, and the promptings of Holy Spirit. A good life like this is attractive to people, and helpful to them.
If your life was falling apart who would you go to for help?
A person whose life is characterized by chaos, panic, wild spending and debt, broken relationships and failed promises? Of course not. You would seek a person who has a truly good life. You know that there would be reserves of goodness to help you. Bad living seems so attractive. Excess, dissipation deplete our reserves. But, a lifestyle that builds up no capital to be good to others is a wasted life.
A good life comes through good stewardship of all the things God has given. Be good to them—God has given them to you. You might not have as much as other people have—but that doesn’t matter, that is God’s business.
2. You must be good to all sorts of people.
“As the opportunity arises, do good to all, especially those of household of faith.” All kinds of people.
As you walk through life you are going to meet all sorts of people: different races, different religions, different social/economic status’s, different moral standards, we will meet the washed and the unwashed. W can’t say—these aren’t my kind. God is good to all people. Rain and sunshine on all He created. All people are to be objects of our goodness as opportunity presents itself. Goodness in many forms—mercy, pity, friendliness (all different ways) of stooping.
3. You must be good to those people with whom you are in covenant.
Peter—love each other deeply (each other, fellow Christians, church members) special goodness to be extended to fellow believers. These are the people we are going to be spending eternity with. The wonderful thing about church life is we have lots of opportunities for good, and we will see results forever as we stay in a particular church, get to know people, and choose to stoop to them.
The other covenant that is most binding is covenant of marriage.
Husbands—be good to your wives. Woman wish their husband would treat them like the dog, hey girl, wanna go for a walk. At least the dog gets petted. Right? Yet, often the husband barely says anything, or says something mean and critical.
Do you see how hypocritical it is for a man to be good to his car—change oil, good to take care of the finances—carefully budgets, keeps track of money, good to people at work (customers, employees treat with respect) but not be good to his wife, united in holy covenant?
On the other hand. When a Christian man is good to his wife—stoops down in love, kindness, patience, sympathy—how that goodness overflows to the children, the people in workplace, maybe even to the dog.
ACTION STEP:
What was first prayer you learned as a child?
“God is great, God is good, Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hands we are fed, Give us, Lord, our daily bread.”
Then we opened eyes and there, on table was good food that a good heavenly Father gave us.
You were able to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Be a magnet that draws others to God by being Good. It's the goodness of God that leads a man to repentance.
What was first prayer you learned as a child?
“God is great, God is good, Let us thank Him for our food.
By His hands we are fed, Give us, Lord, our daily bread.”
Then we opened eyes and there, on table was good food that a good heavenly Father gave us.
You were able to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Be a magnet that draws others to God by being Good. It's the goodness of God that leads a man to repentance.
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