Genuine Goodness: The Quiet Strength of a Christian Life
A collaboration between Lewis McLain & AI
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
There are people whose very presence calms a room. They do not demand attention, yet they seem to fill every space they enter with warmth. Their strength is not loud; their influence is not forced. They lead not through speeches or titles, but through the steady rhythm of goodness that flows from a heart aligned with God.
One such man is Harvey Oaxaca — a teacher, coach, administrator, mentor, and friend whose life continues to remind us that genuine goodness still has a face.
Roots of Character
Long before Harvey led Sunday school at First Baptist Church of McKinney, he was a young man in cleats, running plays on the fields of McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. There he earned his degree in education and became a record-setting running back and team captain.
After graduation, Harvey poured that same discipline into a lifetime of service in education. He spent more than four decades as a teacher, coach, and administrator, including twenty-three years in the McKinney Independent School District. He taught in classrooms, guided student-athletes, and eventually helped lead schools with the same calm faith and fairness that have always defined him.
Harvey wasn’t just fast — he was faithful. Teammates recall how he helped others up before celebrating his own touchdown. By graduation he had earned a place among McMurry’s top rushers and, years later, induction into the McMurry Athletic Hall of Honor.
But his greatest victories weren’t measured in yards gained — they were measured in character formed. The discipline of the athlete became the discipline of the servant; the humility of the player who lifted others became the humility of the man who now lifts spirits.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24
Harvey’s race never ended at the goal line — it became a lifelong run toward goodness, guided by faith.
Faith That Speaks Softly
At First Baptist McKinney, Harvey leads his Sunday school class with that same steady resolve. He doesn’t dominate the room; he shepherds it. His teaching and demeanor are more conversation than lecture — he listens, nods, and draws wisdom even from the quietest voice in the circle.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” — James 3:13
There is no pretense in Harvey’s faith. It’s as real as the man himself — genuine, unguarded, and shaped by decades of walking with the Lord.
Goodness in Action
When Harvey extends his hand, it’s never just a handshake — it’s a blessing. I’ll never forget watching him greet my three grandchildren as each graduated from high school over the recent years. One by one, he congratulated them with a personal acknowledgment, offering encouragement as if they were his own.
That’s Harvey: goodness not as ceremony but as instinct — quiet, consistent, sincere.
His close friend and co-leader of the class, Dr. Bobby Waite, put it best:
“Harvey’s only fault is he can’t say no to a request or a need. It breaks his heart if he’s double-booked. One way or another, he makes things happen to be there to serve.”
That truth showed itself again recently when Harvey returned to class after a hospital stay for a hip issue. As he stood before his friends, tears filled his eyes. Overcome with gratitude for every prayer and note of concern, he said he could not imagine a world without his church and his class. In that moment — unguarded, grateful, and full of grace — his true goodness was once again on display for all to see. One does not have to guess where his heart is.
Loved by All
To know Harvey is to be drawn to him. His life has touched countless others — students, church members, colleagues, and neighbors.
As one friend said, “You can’t be around Harvey and not believe in goodness again.”
In a world that rewards charisma, Harvey’s quiet strength stands apart. He reminds us that greatness is not about being seen — it’s about being genuine.
The Spirit of Goodness
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22-23
Harvey lives those words as naturally as breathing — steady as his steps once were on the football field, steady as his walk now is with God.
His life testifies that Christian goodness is not dramatic or loud; it’s faithful, consistent, and full of quiet joy.
A Legacy of Grace
When people speak of Harvey, they don’t recall titles or positions; they recall presence — his smile, his kindness, his reliability. He’s the kind of man whose example lingers long after he’s left the room.
“Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your master.” — Matthew 25:21
That’s the prize Harvey has always been running toward — not fame, not applause, but faithfulness.
What More Can We Say About True Goodness
True goodness is one of the simplest virtues to describe and the hardest to live. It doesn’t draw attention to itself, and that’s what makes it powerful. In a culture that confuses being nice with being good, Harvey reminds us that goodness is not mere politeness — it is holiness expressed in kindness. One looks at Harvey’s face and sees Christ looking back.
Goodness is love with feet on the ground.
It’s compassion that costs something.
It’s humility that refuses to quit.
The truly good person doesn’t act good to be admired; he acts good because his heart has been changed. Goodness is what happens when a man allows God’s Spirit to shape his motives, reactions, and tone. It’s not performance — it’s transformation.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” — Psalm 23:6
Goodness follows those who walk with God — it’s the fragrance left behind by faith.
A Benediction of Goodness
Goodness walks softly, without sound,
Its footsteps holy, sure, and bound
To hearts that serve and hands that mend,
To lives that love until the end.
It does not shout, it does not shine,
It whispers of a grace divine.
It bends to lift, it waits, it prays,
It lives the truth it dares to praise.
No crowd applauds, no trumpet rings,
Yet Heaven knows such quiet things.
The smile that steadies, the prayer unheard,
The faithful deed, the gentle word.
And when life’s race is nearly run,
And shadows fade before the Son,
The voice of God will softly say —
“Well done, good heart, you showed the way.”
In Harvey Oaxaca, we glimpse what true goodness looks like — not distant, not impossible, but alive, humble, and quietly shining in McKinney, Texas, every Sunday morning.
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