Goodness and Kindness
BEYOND THE SERMON
In Step with the Spirit
Week Three: Goodness & Kindness — Galatians 5:22-23
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Goodness and kindness are named among the fruit the Spirit produces — an inward moral character (goodness) that expresses itself outwardly toward others (kindness). |
Overview
This week's message used a popular "how to spot a good man" checklist as a doorway into a deeper study of goodness and kindness. Though the list was written for dating relationships, its qualities — eye contact, respect for boundaries, honesty, consistency, and more — turn out to be everyday markers of the same goodness the Spirit produces in a believer. Goodness is the state of being; kindness is the action that flows out of it.
Word Study
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Term |
Script |
Meaning |
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Goodness |
ἀγαθωσύνη (agathōsynē) |
Moral excellence, honesty, and righteousness — the inward character from which kind action flows. |
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Goodness (Heb.) |
טוֹב (tov) |
The Hebrew word for "good" used throughout Scripture, including God's own repeated verdict over creation. |
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Kindness |
χρηστότης (chrēstotēs) |
Genuine, practical care for another's well-being expressed in words and deeds — the outward demonstration of goodness. |
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Kindness (Heb.) |
חֶסֶד (chesed) |
Often translated "lovingkindness" — steadfast, loyal love and kindness, especially God's covenant kindness toward His people. |
Goodness: The Inward Foundation
Jesus alone is called truly good — "only God is good" — yet that same goodness becomes available to believers through the Holy Spirit. Goodness in Galatians 5 carries a moral compass: excellence, honesty, and righteousness. It is the root; kindness is the fruit that grows visibly from it.
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Jesus points to God as the source and standard of true goodness. |
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The eye is the lamp of the body A "good eye" — generosity and clear spiritual focus — as one picture of inward goodness. |
Marks of Goodness (from this week's message)
• Eye contact — Genuine interest and respect are often visible in how someone looks at you.
• Respect for boundaries — Honoring another person's space, opinions, time, and decisions.
• Positive body language — Openness and attentiveness, often mirrored between people who are truly connected.
• Active listening — Hearing to understand, not just waiting to respond — modeled in leadership principles like "listen, learn, lead."
• Honesty — Telling the truth, and telling it in love — the foundation every relationship is built on.
• Good communication — Clear, honest, and open to feedback, without redirecting every conversation back to oneself.
• Consistency — A settled character that doesn't shift with circumstance or company — a true measure of goodness over time.
Kindness: Goodness in Action
If goodness is the state of being, kindness is what it looks like in motion — genuine interest in someone else's well-being, expressed through concrete words and deeds. Scripture ties kindness directly to God's own character and to how believers are called to treat one another.
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Believers are called to tenderhearted kindness toward one another, forgiving as God forgave us. |
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Dorcas (Tabitha) is remembered for a life full of good works and acts of charity toward others. |
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God's kindness leads to repentance Kindness isn't just relational — it's part of how God draws people toward Him. |
Reflection Questions
1. Of the seven "marks of goodness" discussed this week (eye contact, boundaries, body language, listening, honesty, communication, consistency), which comes easiest to you, and which is hardest?
2. Where in your life might people be able to tell you're "consistent" — or inconsistent — in your character?
3. Like Tabitha (Acts 9), what's one concrete act of kindness you could do for someone this week without being asked?
4. Goodness is described as the root and kindness as the fruit that grows from it. Is there an area where you're trying to act kind without the inward goodness to sustain it?
5. How has God's own kindness toward you (Romans 2:4) shaped the way you treat others, especially those who don't yet know Him?
Further Study
• Mark 10:18 — Jesus on God alone being truly good.
• Matthew 6:22-23 — The "good eye" as a picture of generosity and spiritual clarity.
• Ephesians 4:31-32 — Kindness and tenderheartedness toward one another.
• Acts 9:36-43 — Tabitha (Dorcas), remembered for her good works and kindness.
• Romans 2:4 — God's kindness as what leads people to repentance.
• Psalm 34:8 — "Taste and see that the Lord is good" — an invitation to experience God's goodness directly.