I once heard author and pastor Graham Cooke pose this question:
Where has all the goodness gone? . . . We are behind. . . . Evil is winning. What if the problem is not crime, not terrorism, not poverty, not abortion, not drugs? . . . What if the problem is simply the lack of goodness? Scripture says we overcome evil with good. So where has all the goodness gone?
The goodness of God is given to those who are ready to wield it and distribute it. That is the essence of a good king: the ability, the character, and the dedication to be a conduit for God’s goodness in ways that deeply influence people’s lives.
But good kings need regular, quality deposits of love in their own hearts. Then they can continually and deeply partner with God to offer love to the hearts of others. Love is the bedrock of goodness. The two are inextricably linked, and where the love is lacking or weak, you can bet the goodness is too. Conversely, when our hearts are settled in God’s love for us, then we are able to impart that love to others in ways that are practical, insightful, wise, and powerful. Ways that shape and change the lives of men and women for the better. We help them gain a vision for how their stories fit into a Larger Story, and we help them actually take their place in that Larger Story. As beloved sons of our good Father, we reign in this life in the manner he intends.
