Getting Started
- Watch today’s Marriage Meditation video.
- Read today’s Marriage devotion.
- Share today’s question with your spouse.
Today’s Devotion
Scripture Reading
- Galatians 5:22 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is … goodness.”
- Micah 6:8 – “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
Meditation
One fruit of the Spirit is goodness. But what is goodness?
We often confuse goodness with not being offensive. Goodness is that quirky neighbor who always bakes cookies … or the co-worker who gives helpful advice. But “nice” doesn’t always mean “good.” Sometimes, goodness takes grit and requires action — often difficult action.
What does God say about goodness?
The Bible says God is good. We look to Him as the ultimate moral authority (He is good and righteous) but we also see His goodness in action (He does good). As a result, we can define goodness as a reflection of God’s character that acts on behalf of others.
God calls us to follow His example. To show goodness to others. What does goodness look like in your marriage? You can reflect God’s goodness by serving your spouse and treating them with the same love and care that God has shown us. Micah 6:8 shows us how to live out God’s goodness: “Do justice,” “love kindness” and “walk humbly” with Him.
The fruit of the Spirit at work in your marriage
Imagine the difference goodness can make in your marriage. In Ephesians 5:21-33, God explains how — and why — husbands and wives are to submit to Christ and to each other. Reading God’s instructions and then demanding obedience of your spouse would be easy … but God is not giving husbands permission to treat their wives as property or slaves. In fact, Ephesians 5:1 tells us to “Be imitators of God.” If we’re imitating God, we will show goodness — the fruit of the Spirit — to our spouse.
When God’s goodness drives our decisions, husbands will make choices that show honor and love to their wives. Wives can follow a husband’s lead and know that when they speak to the situations and challenges their family faces, they will be heard and their words acted on because the husband is fully submitted to God and His goodness.
Goodness — especially in marriage — is never easy. Goodness requires us to be just, kind and humble. Goodness — a fruit of the Spirit — is a God-powered behavior. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to produce goodness in your marriage?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to show goodness to my spouse and to be just, kind and humble before you.
Today’s Question
How can I demonstrate God’s goodness to you this week?
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