Lesson 6: God’s Goodness

In our lessons so far, you have learned these truths about your Father God.

• God is the sovereign ruler of His creation. He rules it with supreme authority and power.
• God’s power is more powerful than anything or anyone else in the entire universe. God’s presence is everywhere at the same time. God knows everything there is to know.
• God is holy. He is set apart from anything that is sinful or evil.
• God always does what is morally right and fair.
• God’s grace is His undeserved favor abundantly poured out on those who desperately need Him.

Today, we will learn about God’s GOODNESS.

Attribute #6: Goodness

“You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.” (Psalm 119:68 NIV)

1. When I say that “you are a good person,” what do you think I’m talking about?

You might think of someone who never does anything wrong, who always does everything right. You might think of someone who is very kind and generous. Well, God is the ultimate one who is good, who “always does everything right and is always kind and generous.” Let’s talk about what that really means.

2. Think about it. Whenever you see movies or read books about Jesus, what color clothing is Jesus usually wearing?

Usually, Jesus is presented as wearing white. Now, He probably didn’t wear white. Men back then wore clothes that were dyed with colors or left a natural looking tan. And, remember they didn’t have washing machines so no one’s clothes would have stayed white for very long!

3. So, why do you think artists or movies almost always present Jesus wearing white clothes?

For one thing, you’ll know which one in the picture is Jesus because we don’t have any photos to know what He looked like. You always know the man in white is Jesus. Perhaps your answer to the above question was that white represents Jesus as being perfect because He never did any of the bad things called sin. That’s a reasonable answer. White would definitely represent His purity.

That white color also represents His goodness. One time when Jesus was on a mountain with Peter, James and John, something happened to His clothes.

4. Read Mark 9:2-8. Describe what happened.

Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could ever bleach them. This was to show His disciples that He really was God. Jesus is the God-man who never sinned. The color white represents His goodness. And, God is good all the time. Remember our lesson on God’s holiness?

That’s an important truth for you to know and trust. “God is good all the time.”

5. Read Psalm 119:68. What does this verse say about God?

The Bible says that everything about God is good—He is good in Himself, and what He does is good. That means God allows nothing to happen to His children—to those who love Him—that is not for their good. God gives to His children only that which is good. God is good all the time, and He is at work in our lives for good.

6. Read Romans 8:28. What is promised about God at work in our lives?

But, you might ask, what about the tough things that happen to us? Someone gets very sick, loses a job, or has to move far away from family and friends. Is God being good then? What must be the answer to that question? YES! Why? Because God is good all the time.

You need to know 3 truths about God’s goodness.

Truth #1: God is good even in the tough times.

Let me ask you some questions. As a child, did your parents or other authority ever make you do something that was hard to do? As an adult, have you ever tasked children or students with things that were hard to do, perhaps very hard, in order for them to learn a new skill? No doubt the answer to both questions is, “Yes, of course!”

Consider the parent/child relationship. Parents demonstrate love for their children even when they won’t let the children buy something they want. Parents are being good to their children when they won’t let them go someplace the children think they have to go or do. Right? Parents are good to their children even when they make them learn how to dress themselves, keep clean, brush their teeth, make their bed, and do their homework. All of those things can seem hard at times, and a child may not want to do them. But, the mom or dad knows that learning to do those things is all part of growing up to be a responsible adult one day.

Well, God also teaches His children through hard things He allows in our lives that help us grow up. Those tough experiences help us learn to trust Him. Tough times help us learn to give up trying to do things our own way—which may not be the best way—and start doing things God’s way—which is always the best way. Anything that draws us closer to God is good for us!

The Bible tells about 2 women named Naomi and Ruth who experienced some very tough times. Naomi is an older woman who had left her home in Bethlehem to travel with her husband and their two sons to a neighboring country called Moab. They did this to find food. The sons married girls from Moab. One of those girls was named Ruth. But, some bad things happened to the family.

7. Read Ruth 1:1-22. Name all the hurtful things Naomi and Ruth experienced.

Naomi’s husband died. Then, Naomi’s sons died. That means Ruth’s husband died. Both women were left alone. Naomi was very sad and decided to go back home to Bethlehem.

When Naomi and Ruth left Moab and moved back to Bethlehem, they had to trust God to provide food every day. That brought them both closer to God.

8. Read Ruth 2:1-20. What did Naomi declare about God in verse 20 in spite of all that she had experienced?

God had not stopped showing His kindness even in the tough times because God is good all the time. So, truth #1 is this: God is good even in the tough times.

Truth #2: God is good in different ways for each person.

God’s goodness may look different in my life than it does in your life. Have you or someone in your family been very sick? Or, have you moved away from home to a place far away? When that happened, you may have felt sad or scared. It’s hard to move, especially from a familiar place to some place new. Yet, because of moving, God’s goodness often gives you a new friend who is so happy to have you living near her. God was good to that person in a different way by moving you and providing a new friend.

Sometimes you can’t feel it or see it. Something looking bad for one person may be just what that person needs to get to know God in a very personal way. Or, it may be just what another person who is watching needs in order to know God in a personal way.

In the Bible story about Naomi and Ruth, Naomi and her family found food in Moab when they needed it. That was good. But, Ruth didn’t need food. She needed God. Her people in Moab didn’t know God. So, God sent Naomi to be a missionary to Ruth in Moab, to tell her about the true God so Ruth could believe in Him. God was being good to Ruth and Naomi in different ways.

9. Are you willing to recognize that God is good to you in a way that is different than how He is good to others?

Truth #2 is this: God is good in different ways for each person.

Truth #3: God is good in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives

In the story about Naomi and Ruth, Naomi’s sons both died as young men, but that doesn’t happen to everyone. Not everyone gets sick with cancer or has a car accident. Not every person moves far away from home. Throughout the Bible are many verses stating how God healed someone or protected someone in a dangerous situation. We don’t even know all the dangers God is protecting us from daily! We should thank Him all the time for doing that.

10. Are you ready to trust Him that what He does allow into your life is for your good?

Truth #3 is this: God blocks out more hard things in our lives than He allows to happen to us.

God is good all the time—even in the tough times, in different ways for each person, and in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives. Will you remember that?

Trusting Your Father God

1) Bible verse to learn:

“You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.” (Psalm 119:68 NIV)

2) Response in prayer & praise:

Remember that God is good all the time even in the tough times in life. Thank God for the many tough things He doesn’t allow into your life. As you talk to your Father God, are you willing to trust His goodness in the way He chooses to answer your prayer?

3) Discover God the Father:

Spend a few minutes each day reading these passages/prayers and reflecting on what you learn that reveals someone’s understanding of and trust in God. Get to know Him well—this One who loves you dearly.

• Read Ruth chapters 3 & 4 to get the rest of the story. Reflect on what you read.
• Read 1 Samuel chapter 1. Reflect on what you read.
• Read 1 Samuel chapter 2. Reflect on what you read.