Today we kick off week 6 of the MaverickRx Fruit of the Spirit Challenge. Please try to join us Thursday at 8:30 for our Facebook discussion of this week’s topic.
In case you missed it, last week we talked about kindness; we discussed how our differences can help us grow, the value of listening, and a few tips on what kindness looks like in 2020.
Let’s get to it! This week we’re talking about GOODNESS!
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
DEFINITION OF GOODNESS:
1: the quality or state of being good
2: used interjectionally or in phrases especially to express mild surprise or shock oh, my goodness! goodness knows
3: the nutritious, flavorful, or beneficial part of something
REFLECTION:
It never ceases to amaze me how one of my devotional readings each morning is on point. I think of it as divine inspiration. On Sunday morning one of my favorite devotional books, Wake Up to Hope, by Joel and Victoria Osteen shared an insightful devotion on goodness. “We all have an assignment. You could say that we all have a ministry. It may not be up in front of people. It may not be to go overseas and be a missionary. Our ministry starts by being good to people.” Goodness is an action – it is our behavior.
When it comes to goodness, I think about circles of influence:
We have the ability to directly control only a small portion of our lives. We can choose our behavior within our circle of control. Tthese are things that exist within me – my attitude, my behavior, my mood. I can control how I treat my family – I can control myself. The circle of influence is the next level, all the other relationships – family, neighbors, coworkers. The circle of concern is the parts of life that I am aware of and interested in but has less direct impact on my life.
For instance, I can control how I treat myself. How good I am to me. It is why I have spent twelve years in fitness. I have one body, I better take care of it. I have one mind, I’d better nurture it. By being good to myself, I am better equipped to share goodness with the next circle of influence: my family, friends, community. I can also control my behavior, choose kindness. I can control how I talk to my children. How I treat my husband when he walks in the door. I can set an example of goodness for others to see and by doing so help guide their path to goodness, too.
Imagine if all circles of control radiated goodness. What do you think the circle of concern would look like? As Osteen writes, we all have a ministry. It is to be good. When we each take the time to be good to one another it has a trickle effect through the circles of influence. What do you want your trickle effect to look like? How do you want to make people feel?
I have a quote on my bulletin board that inspires me everyday:
“𝓑𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓼 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂.”
It might be in the very small moment between getting from the car to bed after a long day of baseball games, around the breakfast table, during a board meeting, while helping a neighbor clean up his yard after a storm – but your decision to be good has an impact. You might not see it. Trust me, it is there. You make a difference.
ACTION CHALLENGE:
Again this week I ask you to take action by walking through your week choosing to be good within your circles of influence. Remember you make an impact just by being YOU!
