Taking the High Ground With Kindness

After I finished my blog and posted it about “watching our words on the battlefield”, yesterday, I read this daily email from a ministry. It was the “icing on the cake” of what I had said in my blog: “I call you, My people, to be kind to one another. The world is filled with selfishness and hatred. But you belong to Me and not to the world. When you become one with Me, your attitudes will reflect My heart and not yours. And the fruit of My Spirit will be evident in all that you are and all that you do, says the Lord." "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Those words pack a punch, don’t they? I reeled them in my heart --.hopefully to stay there, germinate and then produce a bumper crop of those fruit – especially the “kindness” fruit. Yep! That’s a fruit I needed a couple of days ago – before my blog, yesterday. From hearing way too much irritating smack talk that I “shushed” that person with fingers to my mouth. To someone else, I really wanted to retaliate (but didn’t) when they opposed my way-of-thinking. And to another, I even let casual words slip out that “stung” them enough to end a conversation. Holy kindness, Lord, I pray!

What in the world? I’m that on-purpose gal who does her best to never get my “panties in a wad”, but that day I did. Eventually, I realized the enemy was setting me up for a crummy day. Those are his tactics – it’s not just one little incident, but incidents -- multiplied. But, he is such a loser that he doesn’t get that those of us who are the blood-bought, filled-with-the-Holy Spirit, strivers to improve our love-walk daily – recognize him. We take that nonsense long enough and, in my case, I turn it into a blog that teaches a better way – God's way of handling opposition. You messed with the wrong girl, devil!

I love this quote Joyce Meyer says about herself: “Each morning, before getting out of bed, I pray that I will love and be kind to everyone today. But, then I get up and encounter people!” That hits home. I live by myself so, really, I should be okay, but then again, I know myself enough that I need to stay on guard for myself to keep ME out of trouble!

If anyone should speak on behalf of staying in tune with the Holy Spirit, it’s the Apostle Paul. He wrote these words: “Ask God to bless those who persecute you — yes, ask Him to bless, not to curse”. (Romans 12:14). We all have people in our lives that require extra grace from us. They annoy, anger, frustrate, and test us. But they also help us grow. God calls us to demonstrate mercy and kindness to everyone -- even those who cause us the most trouble. And being Spirit-led people who have the fruit of the Spirit in us, we just get "kindness" out of the fruit basket and refuse to be offended. Most of all we purpose to always take the higher ground. Proof positive of being fruit bearers!

When we take the high ground, we can see past the behavior of others. When we take the high ground, we rise above the irritation and the conflict and choose to live in peace and to be loving and kind fruit bearers.

Ronald Reagan said it well: "Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God."

A Fragrance That Leaves You Wanting More

As I made my way to my second-row seat at church on Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice this exquisite floral masterpiece at the altar. Not only was I taken with the enormity of the arrangement and the vast array of colorful flowers and greenery, but the fragrant aroma of the flowers filled the air. It drew me in as an aromatic garden. I related it to the fragrance of those who exude the fragrance of sweet Holy Spirit Who blesses us with so many appealing "fragrant" gifts: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) I'm sure you're familiar with that fragrance and even witnessed it in others. You might carry that scent, too.

We hear and talk a lot about being the "light of the world", but shouldn't we also be the "fragrance of the world"? Carrying the fragrance of God wherever we go certainly makes sense.

The Bible tells us this story: "Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." (John 12:3) Can't you just imagine the aroma that consumed the house and all those who were in the house? What about those who had been in Jesus' presence that day? Don’t you know they carried the scent of the perfume, but they also carried the scent of Jesus' presence on them, too. They were better for it. They wanted to BE BETTER because of it.

What if our lives were a fragrance that attracted people to God? Our fragrance will either attract others to Him or repel them. The sweet scent of the likeness of Christ can be an irresistible pull toward the Savior. When we walk with God, we leave behind a sweet fragrance that can inspire others to follow. So many need to experience that fragrance.....and they will, as we continue to "splash on" His fragrance throughout our days. So....what fragrance are YOU wearing today?

The Fruit of the Spirit is......

Day 279 of Photo Inspirations -- The Fruit of the Spirit is.....
What a joy it is to be leading an 8-Week Bible Study for a group of women that come from various faith backgrounds.  As I prayed and prepared for this study, I was prompted to a study of the Fruit of the Spirit.  I had been around some folks who made me wonder about their "fruit" as they tended to be, by nature, a little cranky and cynical.  It's never a GREAT day.  It's typically a too cold, too hot, too rainy, too humid, too dry....DAY!   Their outlook on just about everything is often quite dismal.  And, that made me start checking out the fruit in my own life.  I know we shouldn't judge others.....lest we be judged.  But, I figured it's quite alright to inspect the fruit in my own life and be my own FRUIT INSPECTOR.

That's the message I kept getting. We ALL certainly know about fruit:
* The Food Pyramid states that 2 to 4 servings of FRUIT a day is essential to a healthy balanced diet.
* Body shapes are often described as FRUITS (i.e., pear, banana, apple)
* There is the “FRUIT of the Loom’s” FRUIT Guys – LOL!
* There’s those folks who are slightly spaced out that we’ve heard called “FRUIT Cakes”
* FRUITY is the word that describes the tastes or flavors of wines, colognes and room sprays

But, when I said that God is calling us to be FRUIT inspectors, that applies to Matthew 7:20 – “Therefore, by their FRUITS, you will know them.”   WOW – that’s how we’re recognized as devoted followers of Christ…OR NOT -- by our FRUITS.   So as FRUIT inspectors….first, we need to pass the test on the FRUITS we, ourselves, are bearing.

It really is the season for "Fruit Bearing”.  Galatians 5:22-23 ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’

As we grow in and experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then those beautiful attributes and characteristics of the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit will thrive and flourish in our lives.  After all, as believers, we know Holy Spirit is in us so we already have the good soil, fertilizer, nutrients and everything else we need to be good FRUIT bearers.

With the approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, it's perfect time to settle down from our potentially hectic schedules and responsibilities to draw us into that place of intimacy with God and inspect the good fruit or bad fruit we may be bearing.  Perhaps, by the time all the seasonal celebrations begin, we will be better equipped with the Fruit of the Spirit to make it the best, most blessed celebrations EVER!