Building Up Goodwill

Thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Our reading titled Building Up Goodwill was written by Monica LaRose. When we think of best business practices, what first comes to mind probably aren't qualities like kindness and generosity. But according to entrepreneur James Rhee, they should. In Rhee's experience as CEO at a company on the brink of financial ruin, prioritizing what he calls goodwill, a culture of kindness, and a spirit of giving, saved the company and led to its flourishing. Putting these qualities central gave people the hope and motivation they needed to unify, innovate, and problem solve.

Rhee explains that, Goodwill is a real asset that can compound and be amplified. In daily life too, it's easy to think of qualities like kindness as vague and intangible, afterthoughts to our priorities. But as the Apostle Paul taught, such qualities matter most of all. Writing to new believers, Paul emphasized that the purpose of believers' lives is transformation through the Spirit into mature members of the body of Christ.

To that end, every word and every action has value only if it builds up and benefits others. Transformation in Jesus can only happen through daily prioritizing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. When the Holy Spirit draws us to other believers in Christ, we grow and mature as we learn from one another. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Ephesians chapter 4 verses 15 and 16 and 22 through 32. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head that is Christ.

From Him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work. Now picking up at verse 22. You were taught with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work doing something useful with their own hands that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you. Let's pray. Dear God, teach us daily what truly matters, the love poured out through your Son. May your love and kindness overflow from us onto others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening today. My name is Brenna Holzgla, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.