In a well-loved psalm King David proclaims, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." God, he declares, is his shepherd; therefore, he cannot want. He will be led through green pastures, beside still waters; in the paths of righteousness. Though he walk through the valley of the shadow, God will be with him. In all this, and before his enemies, he will fear no evil, and his cup will brim over with blessings. Then—crowning and unfailing loving-kindness—goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life, he will dwell serenely in the house of the Lord forever.
Now it is clear that this active, loving, tender goodness and mercy indicated by David is not of man, but of God; it surely emanates from no lesser source than divine Love. David was not talking about any personal goodness as belonging to man. He spoke rather of God's care for His own, and he told all men that goodness and mercy go with them unhindered at all times, everywhere.
If any one of us thinks his goodness originates within himself, let him discover, if he can, any single good impulse he has ever had which has not lived before him and is not being shared by many around him. Does any one originate kindness or patience or honesty or trust? Have loyalty and faith and truth-telling been born of us? Indeed, the good impulses of human kind are such a universal heritage that each of us knows, when a right motive springs up in his heart, that something outside and above himself has come to him. He knows, too, that any man who will, may open his mental doors to the same heaven-sent good. As well fancy that the sun has origin in the room into which it shines, as to believe that goodness and purity and truth have their source in personality. That we all may understand good, is sufficient evidence that we all inherit good from one common source, God; it proves, also, that it is the one good, ever present and continuous, and possible of reflection by all.
