Thoughts on Life & Work: Goodness

Welcome to the sixth post in this series based on a list of characteristics penned by the ancient Saint Paul, a 1st century contemporary of Jesus. As I’ve noted before, the list ended with the phrase “against such things there is no law,” and I’ve come to believe these traits not only serve us well in life but also at work. We’ve covered the first five items on the list: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, and Kindness. Next up is Goodness, followed in future posts by Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. So, how does the term “goodness” apply in our world today???

Well, at one level, it’s a self-explanatory concept. To be “good” is something most of us were taught early. Again, to some degree, Goodness can be thought of as the absence of “badness.” And while there are some real challenges in our culture today in defining what’s good and what’s wrong (especially in an era where each of us supposedly has “our truth”), I believe the great majority of the people in the world understand good vs. evil. Whether it’s a fundamental respect for human dignity or a universal belief that the strong should not oppress the weak or the emotions that are stirred up in all of us when we see an example of sacrificial love and care, we all tend to be clear on what good behavior looks like.??

But, as in earlier posts, once we have defined something as over and against its opposite, it is still helpful to expound on it with examples and stories. And that’s what I’ll do now.??

When I think of Goodness, it’s hard for me to avoid the picture of a baseball hat with the head of Alan Graham underneath it. Alan, the founder of Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Community First Village, is a bit of an institution here in my hometown of Austin, TX. The organizations he leads are well known throughout our community for their service to the homeless population, whether providing food and clothing or a permanent home in a winsome and vibrant community. And that’s why it’s easy for me to think of Goodness in this context. For Alan and his team, Goodness looks like providing for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those who are often unable to care for themselves entirely. It seems like fully functioning community members choose to give up their time, talent, and treasure to help lift their “neighbors” (as the MLF/CFV team very appropriately refers to them) up and out of poverty on the streets to a restored place of dignity. And it looks like an incredibly diverse group of people from almost every conceivable category of humanity (race, gender, age, socioeconomic status, etc.) working together without worrying about those categories because they’re bound together in a cause of service.??

OK, so that sounds great for a not-for-profit that’s doing fantastic work in the community. But what does that look like at work? Well, I think that Goodness at work looks more like these examples than you might first think. When we’re attuned to the needs of our colleagues, whether work-related or personal, and we choose to behave toward them in a way that is designed for their betterment and encouragement, I think that’s Goodness. When we decide to avoid the temptation to take credit for something that our team or we didn’t make happen and ensure that the right people get the credit, that’s Goodness. When we refuse to tolerate any mistreatment of others based on those categories I mentioned, that is a form of Goodness. While it’s excellent to avoid “bad” behavior at work, it’s a lot more fulfilling and rewarding to seek ways to share and spread Goodness as we go about our daily tasks. So, let’s all spread a little goodness around the office (or the Zoom calls) this week. And, if you want one, Alan can get you a hat that you can wear to show you’re part of the club.?