My son and I have enjoyed watching The Rings of Power movie series. If you are a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy of good triumphing over evil in middle earth, then I’m sure you would like this series also. In the episode we saw this week two close friends must sadly part ways. Instead of merely bidding farewell they share a deeper elvish term which encourages each other to, “go toward goodness.” That’s wise advice for each of us.
Growing up I moved living locations a lot. It has always been hard for me to say goodbye and part company with family and friends. As a teacher I still feel that each year when my students graduate or transfer to another school. What helps is if I know they are equipped and motivated to do well in the future. My hope is that they also, “go toward goodness.” I pray the same for you. Although this is an extensive topic, I’d like to briefly share just three practical ways to journey the road of goodness for a fulfilling future.
Benefit Others by Asking Questions and Meeting Needs
Approach life with a sense of awe. Explore the wonderful people, sights, sounds, and mysteries around you. At its core, life if made of relationships. First with God, then with others. Live, laugh, love, and learn with each. Show a sincere interest in people. Be genuine and transparent. Ask open-ended questions. Actively listen with understanding and empathy. Seek to serve. As you are able use your talents and resources to meet the needs of others before your own. Your life will be richer if you go toward the goodness of investing yourself in others. Note: My last blog note #218 Stand in the Gap talks more about this.
Recognize and Utilize Your Blessings
In life you tend to become what you dwell on. Set your heart on what’s good, right, loving, and lasting (Matthew 6:19-21; Colossians 3:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:18). Dwell in possibilities rather than problems. In difficult circumstances seek the positive and stay hopeful. When you make mistakes don’t wallow in guilt or pity. Analyze what went wrong, take ownership, learn from it, and commit to doing better in the future. With relationships, look for the best in people. Extend grace to give people the benefit of the doubt and a second chance. View people not so much as who they are, but as who they can be and then help them move toward that. Be others-centered and not self-centered. Value people for who they are as God’s precious creation, not for what they can do for you or how they make you feel. Don’t fall for the temptation of valuing things and using people. Instead value people and use things. Appreciate people. Let them know what you admire in them. Each day as you interact with people may they leave you better than they were before. Even a cheerful greeting, a smile, a hug, or an encouraging affirmation makes a difference. Wisely use what you have been given for good (Romans 12:1-21; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
Initiate Change
Use your many blessings and positive outlook to spark change. When you encounter a problem, don’t curse the darkness. Light a fire. When you face hardship, don’t throw up your hands in surrender. Roll up your sleeves for action. Give more than you take. At his famous inaugural address President Kennedy challenged citizens to, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” Imagine what your community could be like if the majority of people took this to heart. In working toward solutions, don’t try to fix people. Focus on fixing processes, and giving grace to people. Along the way, don’t worry about what you can’t change. Give that over to God. Address what you can change. As you go toward goodness, do the next right thing one step at a time and leave the results to God.
Go Toward God
The journey toward goodness, is really a journey toward God. As the eternal, benevolent creator of the universe God is the source of life and all that is good, right, and loving. He loves you and wants you to be with him, to be like him, and to do what he does. If you live life on your own, you will have some success in being good and making a difference. But if you let God live in you and work through you, you will experience his joyful and abundant, everlasting life and you will make an eternal impact. On your own, you can never achieve a level of goodness which saves yourself or others. Your self-centeredness and wrongdoing separates you from God and kills you. Fortunately, God has made a way to save you. That’s why Jesus, God the Son, became a man to die for you and rise again. Jesus shows you what pure goodness is and how to live in it. In Jesus we see the face of God and can enter the embrace of God. Anyone who trusts and obeys Jesus is adopted into God’s forever family (Hebrews 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 1:12, 3:16-18). If you want to truly go toward goodness, ask God to save you from your wrongdoing. Receive his forgiveness. Then move forward relying on God’s grace and power to live rightly for his glory and the benefit of others.
Conclusion
Grow in a relationship with God through Jesus. Learn from him and do good. Enjoy his life and share it with others. Use the blessings from him to bless other people. Discover who they are and who they can be. As God enables you, serve them, support them, and encourage them. When you face difficult people and trying circumstances, ask God to intervene, to guide you, and to sustain you. Then do the next right thing he shows you and leave the results to him. Soon Jesus will return to earth to consummate his kingdom and restore righteousness in our fallen and broken world. God wants to train you now to become like Jesus in character and purpose so you are ready to reign with him. Each day go toward goodness by finding your greatest pleasure in pleasing God and others.