For goodness’ sake!

“For goodness’ sake” is a frequent figure of speech or idiom for surprise, astonishment, or even annoyance that people express where I live.  But, what is goodness, and since it is possessive who is goodness?  I think down deep most people are in the image of goodness, after all, we’re created in the “image of God” (Gen. 1:27) and everything God made was “very good” (v. 31).  But, we have two issues.  One, people messed up and we have a sinful, bad, nature (Rom. 7:18).  Two, we view others as a “good” or “bad” person, “for goodness’ sake,” if we’re created good, then who is this “goodness’ sake” or purpose or benefit we are to be concerned about?   

In our daily conversation, figures of speech and thoughts we have removed God, or Christ; the One who’s sake or purpose or benefit is of concern to you.  So, who is in the phrase “goodness’ sake” is identified by Jesus, in that “No one is good — except God alone” (Mark 10:18). 

When we remove the sake, benefit, purpose in our life “for God’s sake,” “for Christ’s sake” from out of our language, we have removed the Lord from our life, our worldview and culture.  What is left?  Nothing of goodness remains in us.  When we receive Christ, when we truly follow Jesus, it is then, and only then, the Holy Spirit can live in us and for God’s sake, the benefit of his glory.  In Galatians 5:2, Paul reveals that the fruit of God’s Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,...” and such is reveled with Christ’s Spirit in us —“And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us” (1 John 3:24).          

 “For Goodness’, Christ’s sake,” be who and what God created you to be.  

Owen <><