Be the light you want to see in others

Be the light you want to see in others

by | Nov 23, 2017 | Fruits of the spirit, General

It’s easy to get frustrated by people, who are taking their anger out on you or someone you know. We can get easily offended and respond in kind. It can take a lot of inner strength to step back from our emotions and view things in a different light. To not take on the feelings that are being directed at us and then pass them on to someone else.

Often times we will take home all the verbal and emotional garbage that has been poured out on us during the day. We find ourselves unable to leave it at the door and end up taking it out on those around us – to whom it doesn’t belong either. Then you may hear someone who is trying to be helpful telling you to “turn the other cheek” – as if it is a physical action we need to take. Yet, in this day and age where people feel the need to say and do whatever they think or feel at the moment, turning the other cheek takes on a different perspective.

Look at it like this; when someone dumps their emotional junk on you, instead of taking it home or passing it along to someone else, we need to allow it to drop where it is. We take the bombardment with the love of Christ. We understand that their emotions aren’t directed at us personally but instead allow them to use us as a sounding board. To vent. Whether we deserve it or not. Whether we want it or not. We allow it in the hopes that they will leave it with us and not pass it along to someone else. Then we give it over to Christ; where we leave all our anxieties and burdens.

In a perfect world this would be easy. In practice it isn’t. It is tough to not allow those negative feelings to overcome us. To take them on and then pass them along. To want to make someone else feel the way we are. It takes understanding and learning; growing the fruits of the spirit in our lives. Things that are often very tough to master on their own let alone when someone is directing anger toward you.

You aren’t alone. We all want to respond in kind at times. It takes a lot of spiritual growing on our parts to be able to let these kind of things not affect us. It doesn’t happen over night. You might do it once and then the next time you might not be able to. Remember that we are to be a light in the darkness. If you want to touch someone else life, be the light you want to see in others. Be the example of shining brightly. Strive to learn to let it go.

Prayer

Lord,

We thank you for this day and the opportunity to be the light we want to see in others. We thank you that we can cast our cares and worries on you. That we can lay our burdens at your feet. That you will give us the strength to move forward and grow in Your grace and love. We thank you for helping us to realize that this doesn’t happen over night. That it is a continual process.

Help us to not be hard on ourselves when we fail. Help us to see the lesson that each opportunity provides to us. Help us to learn to let go so that we can grow and bear our spiritual fruits. So that we can be the person you would have us to be. Help us to know when it is time to be still. Help us to not pass along our anger and frustration to others.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen

Actively showing the fruits of the spirit in our lives

Actively showing the fruits of the spirit in our lives

by | Aug 15, 2017 | Fruits of the spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

In these times, we can look around and see how many things are “wrong”. It’s easy to  point a finger and place blame somewhere. However, the Bible tells us to not grumble against one another, for we aren’t the judge. It is not our job to stand in judgement of one another. It is our job to show the fruits of the spirit in our lives. We are called to be a light to the world. We are to be a ‘good’ witness for our Lord. How can we be a good witness if we are pointing fingers and judging others? We may not understand why things are happening in the world around us. We were not called to understand or guess, we were called to be a witness. We were called to be a part of the body of Christ; and by doing our part-whether you are a hand, a mouth, a foot, a heart, etc.- we are to show Christ’s love to a suffering world.

Yes, we will go through trials and tribulations. We were not promised that by following Christ the road would be easy. As a Christian, your problems don’t suddenly dry up and go away. No, we are still human and in the world but we are not OF the world. We are both a physical and a SPIRITUAL creature. There are so many things that are happening in the world around us, near us and sometimes to us. This does not mean we throw away our faith. It doesn’t mean we suddenly take on the cloak of a judge;  we are not to do that.

“He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Who of us is without sin? Whether you think it is something small-a white lie-or something big. Sin is sin. Sure we want to think that one is not greater than the other. However, it is not on us to determine this. If we believe what the Bible says, then we are to bear the fruits of the spirit, we are to show those who are still in the world that God is good. That He is a loving father. That He has out best in mind. This is why He gave His only begotten son to sacrifice for our salvation. This is not extended to just the believer but the unbeliever as well. One does not become a better person simply because we accept Christ into our hearts and lives. We are not better than the unbeliever. We are adopted into the family of Christ.

All these things are just a reminder that this world needs the love of God more now than ever. We need to step forward and share God’s love with others; through our words, deeds and actions with love and kindness. There is enough hate and division. Let us not stand in the way and turn people from Christ’s love by acting the same way as those who don’t have a relationship with Him. Let us, instead, move forward in grace, faith and hope and show other’s the love He has for us. That our differences don’t make us enemies or give us reason to spew hate. Instead, let us embrace those differences with love and joy. Share Christ in action.

 

Prayer

Lord, help us to show your love and kindness through not only our actions but with our words today. Help us to speak those things that are filled with joy, hope, love and respect. Help us to control our words and actions so that they will only bring glory to you. Help us to remember to pray before we enter into conversations that may lead people away from you instead of point them to you.

We pray that every moment we are given the opportunity to speak, it will be without judgement, but instead it will be with consideration and thought. That we will not let anger speak through us. We will instead let your light shine and your words come through us, so that we may bring people closer to you.

If it is our job to plant the seed, let us be grateful for the chance to plant it through our words. If it is our job to water that seed, let our actions show you in them. When it comes time to harvest, we ask that you help us to deliver from the field in the way that always points to you. We want to show You in everything we do.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen

Show a kindness

Show a kindness

by | Jul 14, 2017 | encouragement, Fruits of the spirit

How often are we given the opportunity to show a kindness and we let it pass by? Sometimes it is the simplest of things, offering a smile to someone. Yesterday, a man on the street was asking for change; I have change, so I gave it to him at the light. His response, “God bless you”. This stood out to me simply because most of the time the people who are asking for money on the streets don’t really give this type of response when you give something to them. Yet, this gentleman who was asking for so little was also grateful enough to offer a blessing back.

What we put out returns to us. Some people will call this ‘karma’; yet the bible shows us time and time again how when kindnesses were given, they were returned as well.

2 Samuel 2:6 And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing

David had just been anointed king, and his predecessor Saul had been buried by men of Jabesh-Gilead. They didn’t have to bury Saul. We know this simply because David says they showed a kindness by doing it. Then, David does two things; he asks that the Lord show them kindness as well as saying that he will ‘repay’ the kindness that was done.

Doing this one thing, showing a random act of kindness, they were going to receive double in return. What do we learn from this? When you give you receive.

Kindness is one of the fruits of the spirit yet it is often found lacking. It is easy to simply to pass over an opportunity we are given by saying or thinking “someone else will show it” or “someone else will do it”. Remember, what you give you receive. If you want to receive kindness, you need to give it.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Today, as you go through your daily activities and the opportunity arises, take a moment to show kindness. It costs nothing yet gets returns.

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Lord,

We thank you that you constantly show us kindness and mercy in our lives. Teach us to pass this attribute along to others. To allow us to be an example of your light through not only our words but our deeds. Our actions.

We thank you for all that you have given us each and every day. We thank you for helping us to grow and become more like you. Lead us along the path your would have us to go. Help us to stop skipping over the opportunities to show your love to others as we grow in your grace.

In Jesus Name,

Amen