God’s goodness
The Father is glorified when Jesus’ disciples bear much fruit. (John 15:8.) “… for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.” Ephesians 5:9 (ESV). When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God told him: “I will make all my goodness pass before you…” Exodus 33:19 (ESV). The bride of Christ clothes herself with this glory. “… having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” Revelation 21:11. Jesus will fetch those who have become full of God’s goodness in their lives. He will not fetch people who have the wrong motives or want to become great in this world, or people who take pleasure in the failures of others, are proud, or discriminate against people.
God’s goodness has no limit. The fall of man is so great that there is nothing good in our sinful nature, only evil lives there (Romans 7:18). Only when we see the sin in ourselves as extremely sinful can we become truly good. When we are in need, God comes and helps us. When we always have a great need in our hearts to be completely good, in all circumstances, then God can work in our hearts what He wants us to do. But if we only have some pious wishes and words without a need in our hearts, then we will not get help, and will not come to this true goodness in all circumstances.
Goodness in our hearts
To be a true co-worker of Christ, we must have goodness in our hearts. Goodness that has no suspicion, discontentment, hidden motives, honour-seeking, discrimination, etc. We must have goodness in our hearts when we exhort and speak to others. And without goodness we cannot speak rightly about people. We must have goodness to be able to be strict in the right way. We must have goodness in our hearts to be able to judge people and situations correctly. People who are fleshly and earthly are quick to defend themselves and accuse others. Spiritual people are quick to defend others and quick to judge themselves.
Fleshly people are glad that no one can look into their heart and see what is hidden behind their smiles, behind their jokes, behind their politeness, behind their comments about others, behind their bold words, behind all their manners and behaviour. Spiritual people want to be honest and open to all, because there is goodness behind their smiles, behind their jokes, behind their politeness, behind the way they talk about others, etc.
We know that the fall of man is so great that only evil lives in our human nature; this should lead us to a serious, deep, and lasting understanding of our own need (Romans 7:18). We have an endless need to be filled with goodness, and all the people around us have an endless need to be shown goodness. May God fill us all with His abundant goodness!