The Feast of Hanukkah-Goodness
The sixth candle on our Hanukkiah, we light is for Goodness. The Spirit-Filled Life Bible defines goodness as beneficence, kindness in actual manifestation, virtue equipped for action, a bountiful propensity both to will and to do what’s good, intrinsic goodness producing a generosity and a Godlike state or being. The Greek word for goodness, agathosune, is a rare word that combines both being good and doing good.
Our greatest example of showing goodness is of course Jesus (Yeshua). In Acts 10:38 it describes “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.” The word ‘doing good’ connotes the spirit of a benefactor who has unlimited resources to help meet the physical needs of others. So Yeshua was interested just as much in helping the basic needs of people as well as pouring out his healing power! Must be like his dad!
We are Christ’s body, and are called to do the same. Rick Renner says, this fruit of the Spirit called “goodness” is that supernatural urge in a person to reach beyond himself to meet the natural needs of those around him.
Let the goodness of God rise in us ‘in the land of the living,’ Ps. 27:13 and God promises his goodness and mercy to follow us all the days of our lives. Ps. 23:6..Goodness begets goodness!
Happy Hanukkah this Shabbat!
