Fashioned for good

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

As we experience the transforming grace of God, our lives take on new meaning and direction. For some of us, it is a radical shift from brokenness to blessedness. For all of us, the way of Christ invites us to live fully into who God calls us to be and what God calls us to do.

This process of being fashioned for good lasts a lifetime and becomes the legacy we create through the ordinary and extraordinary choices we make each day. At Everence, we hear and learn from our clients and the legacies they seek to create.

Here are six ideas to help you think and act on growing in goodness throughout our lives.

1. Abide in the source

Real and lasting transformation occurs as we learn to sink our roots into the heart of God. Our capacity to do good arises from our experience of knowing the One who is good.

2. Listen intently

As you pay attention to the promptings of the Spirit and the needs of the world around you, what tugs at your heart? As one writer puts it, where do your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet?

3. Experiment freely

For many of us, it takes a lifetime to learn our place in the world. Too often, we spend too much time worrying about making a mistake rather than risking that we might do just the right thing. When it comes to doing good, practice makes perfect!

4. Seek alignment

Learn to lean into the activities, cares, work, and witness that God is weaving into and through your life. The word “handiwork” in Ephesians 2 is related to our word for “poem.” As you pay attention to how your life story is being written, give your greatest time, energy, and generosity to the elements that seem to fit best.

5. Invite others

Doing good happens best in community. Encourage others to join you in a service project you care about. Invite your children or grandchildren into a conversation and shared action around a concern you carry. Explore ways to give and to pray together for organizations you may support. Encourage your congregation to focus on doing a few things really well together.

6. Pass it on

It has been said, “We begin to understand the true meaning of life when we plant shade trees under which we know we will never sit.” A legacy of good works need not end with us. Through our example and purposeful mentoring we can inspire future generations. Through gifts from our estate, we can continue to support people, causes, and organizations that carry on the good work and the witness God has fashioned in our lives.

Have you thought about your legacy recently? Have you talked to your family or your financial consultant about the goodness you are growing?

At Everence, we have the tools and expertise to help you make a world of difference through charitable giving. We can help your good works make an impact for generations to come.