His goodness in and through me!

Reflecting on Luke 6:43-45

"For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:45)

At first glance I did not see something comforting or encouraging.
But I the notice how Jesus sees His disciples as capable of goodness.
He speaks of the good tree and the good man… is there such a thing?
I don’t think Jesus means perfect goodness, like humans before the fall.
Otherwise why would He even appeal for them to speak or do good?
If we are wholly incapable of goodness, why insist on it.

The key is in what we put into, or store in our hearts.
Yes out hearts are not perfectly filled with goodness.
But we are able to lean towards, or away from goodness.
Similarly we are able to lean towards, or away from badness.
And that decision begins with how we respond to Jesus.

Jesus is the living embodiment of goodness, a good tree with good fruit.
The people who met Jesus sensed this goodness, and leaned toward, or away from Him.
Being with Jesus, the disciples were receiving goodness.
Their hearts were being filled with His goodness, and they were storing it.
The religious leaders on the other hand leaned away from it.
Like Adam and Eve near the forbidden tree, they listed to the bad voice within.
They preferred what seemed good and desirable to them.

By ourselves, we do not have access to the goodness of God.
We were designed to be in partnership with the ‘very good’ God.
When Jesus calls us to produce good fruit, He doesn’t mean by ourselves.
He is with us, He supplies us good words and actions to learn from.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5)

I am encouraged by His goodness, and His invitation to join Him in it.
He is offering to fill my heart with goodness, if I will accept it.

The challenge or conviction in these words is this:
What is in my heart, and what am I filling my heart with?
Am I leaning towards goodness, staying close to Jesus and letting Him fill me?
One way to discern this is by considering how I speak?
Are my words seasoned with grace (Colossians 4:6)?
Or are they negative, critical, complaining, hurtful, demeaning?
Do people feel better or worse when I speak to them?
Or do I speak nonsense, or spew out my opinions, or twist the truth?
It is not only negative words that are an indicator of my heart condition.
How much do I speak about, or show concern for justice, mercy or compassion?
If this is not coming from my mouth, it is likely not in my heart.

Jesus is calling me to consider what it flowing from my lips.
It will give me an indication of what is living in my heart.
He is calling me to join Him in spreading goodness, not badness.
He not only expects it from me, He assures me that I can.
Not alone, not by self-effort, but with His help.
His Spirit will prune me words with gentle conviction and correction.
He will nudge me when to speak up for good, or hold something bad back.

These words of Jesus are not a criticism, they are an invitation.
Will I lean into this, and allow Him to renew my heart, words and actions?
Or will I lean away from this, and carry on in my own way.
Am I leaning towards, or away from, His goodness?

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I know that goodness is a challenge for me by myself. But I am not by myself. You are with me, and Your goodness overflows to me and in me. May Your good Spirit in my prompt me towards goodness, and caution me when my thoughts, words and actions are not moving in a Jesus-like, good direction. I am capable of producing good fruit, with You!