The Fruit of Goodness

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.” - Genesis 1:3-4

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” – Genesis 1:31. This is how the first written chapter in human history ended. A world created by God and for God, described by God not only as good, but very good. A man and woman, created in God’s image and for God’s glory, living in this perfect world free from sin and it’s partner, death.

So how did we end up here?

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” – Romans 3:10-12. The destructive nature and consequences of sin is evident in all of creation. It is most apparent, however, in the hearts of mankind. Sin is so ugly and has so marred God’s “very good” creation that the Creator Himself destroyed what He had made with a flood. His anger was so stirred by the rebellion of His created beings that He rained fire and sulfur on an entire city to destroy it. He allowed His own chosen people to be ravaged, hunted, killed, and driven out of their land. What a contrast to Genesis 1-2!

What happened to goodness? Is it gone? Does it even exist anymore? On the very first day of recorded history, God demonstrated an important truth in what He made. First He spoke light into existence, and then He called the light good and forever separated it from the darkness. From this natural demonstration we can derive the following spiritual truths: 1) God is the author of all true goodness; and 2) Light is meant to dispel darkness.

As God’s people who have been redeemed by Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit, we once again have the capacity for goodness. The fruit of goodness should mark our lives and demonstrate that we belong to a good and loving God – a God who hates sin and shines the light of His Son into its darkness.

LORD, You are good all the time. Please forgive me for all the times that I hide Your light instead of shining it for all to see. Help me to walk in holiness, so that others see Your goodness through the fruit of goodness in my life. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.