When everyone else bends the truth, goodness stands up straight. The Holy Spirit gives us the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard, inconvenient, or unpopular.
Goodness is one of the qualities listed in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and it’s not just about being nice or polite. It’s about being rooted in what is right, not according to personal opinion or shifting culture, but according to God’s unchanging truth.
The kind of goodness the Spirit produces in us isn’t soft or sentimental; it’s bold and unwavering. It’s moral courage.
What’s the Opposite?
The opposite of goodness is corruption.
Corruption shows up when we know what’s right but choose what’s easy. It might look like cutting corners, twisting truth, protecting your reputation, or staying silent when someone needs to speak up. Corruption compromises for comfort or gain.
But the Spirit strengthens us to live differently. He grows a kind of goodness in us that doesn’t change based on who’s watching or what it costs.
Goodness That Tells the Truth
In Mark 10, a wealthy man came to Jesus asking how to inherit eternal life. Jesus saw through the surface and gently confronted the man’s real issue: his love of money. When told to sell his possessions and follow Jesus, the man walked away.
Jesus didn’t chase him. He didn’t soften the truth to keep the conversation going. He loved him enough to say the hard thing.
That’s goodness.
It’s not about always being agreeable; it’s about always being aligned with God’s heart.
And the Spirit gives us that same courage to speak and live with integrity, even when it’s uncomfortable.
How to Know You’re Growing in Goodness
You’ll know goodness is growing in you when:
- You do the right thing even when no one will ever know.
- You tell the truth even when it costs you something.
- You resist shortcuts and stand firm under pressure.
- You lovingly challenge sin instead of enabling it.
The Spirit doesn’t just make us nice; He makes us holy. Goodness is the evidence.
One Step Today
Here’s a question to reflect on:
“Where in my life do I need to choose courage over compromise?”
Maybe it’s a relationship that needs truth. A decision that needs integrity. A habit that needs to change.
Goodness doesn’t wait for approval. It seeks to please God. And when the Holy Spirit is shaping your life, goodness becomes not just what you do, but who you are.
