“The fruit of the Spirit is all goodness” (Gal. v. 22).
Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. Goodness is just “Godness.” It is to be
like God. And God-like goodness has special reference to the active
benevolence of God. The apostle gives us the difference between goodness
and righteousness in this passage in Romans, “Scarcely for a righteous man
would one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to
die.” The righteous man is the man of stiff, inflexible uprightness; but
he may be as hard as a granite mountain side. The good man is that
mountain side all covered with velvet moss and flowers, and flowing with
cascades and springs. Goodness respects “whatsoever things are lovely.” It
is kindness, affectionateness, benevolence, sympathy, rejoicing with them
that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep. Lord, fill us with
Thyself, and let us be God-men and good men, and so represent Thy
goodness.
There are lonely hearts to cherish,
While the days are going by;
There are weary souls who perish,
While the days are going by.