Goodness is a little harder for me to get a handle on than kindness was. I've had to stop and think what is even meant by the word good. The phrase that keeps coming to me is: God is good. He defines and illustrates goodness. He IS goodness. So, then, everything that comes from him or has its source in him is what we would call "goodness." That would include things like truth, justice, love, fidelity, honor--all in their purest, most untainted forms. The good stuff is the God stuff.
When the Spirit works goodness in us, it shows itself as zeal for the good things of God. And because the world doesn't always love the good things of God (like truth, justice, or fidelity) and in fact is often an active enemy of the goodness of God, zeal for God's goodness sets us in opposition to some of the things this world (and we as creatures of this world) holds dear. For that reason, sticking up for goodness or doing goodness can mean confronting the "badness" in ourselves and this world. As Beth said, that is not often comfortable or pleasant, and it can get downright ugly unless accompanied by the tender kindness of a soft heart.
That's why my prayer now is that along with zeal for the good things of God, the Spirit will give me kindness. And along with a tender heart, he will give me the backbone to make no compromises with evil.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5: 22-23, 25) Let's encourage one another as we learn to live beyond ourselves and grow in the glorious freedom of Jesus Christ.
Romans 7:4
...that we might bear fruit to God.
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