Evidence Of The SpiritSample

Goodness

“Sincerity is the main thing. Once you’ve learned how to fake that, you’ve got it made.” 

I laughed at those words on a poster when I first saw them, but then I winced. How painfully true! How we lie to each other . . . How we feign interest in people though we’re really feeling only boredom or disdain . . . How crushing to our spirits when we realize painfully that someone was only pretending to like us.

But how soul-refreshing it is to be helped by someone who has nothing to gain! Here is another of the sure evidences of the Holy Spirit’s influence in human hearts: “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness” (Galatians 5:22). In a business world rotted out by greed, manipulation, and cheating, how encouraging is it to realize that the person you’re doing business with actually cares about your well-being? That his word is true? That she intends to keep her promises? 

What a great way for you and me to give glory to the One who never lies to us and who is always working for our good! The gospel of Christ changes how God looks at us. The Spirit of the Lord working through that gospel also changes how we look at other people—not as competition, annoyances, obstacles, and idiots, but as redeemed and valuable souls with whom we can share life in heaven. We are vessels of God’s goodness.

God is good all the time. All the time God is good!