Less About Being RIght, More About Being Kind

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25

David L. Brooks wrote an article “Perceptions of religion collide with inner faith” (Toledo Blade. January 29, 2014. P. 9). Mr. Brooks said that religious people often behave in ways that contrast with the faith they profess to possess and that is why they are often considered to be “judgmental, hypocritical, old fashioned, and out of touch.” I think he is right to some extent. We may seem too holy or too busy being martyred to be taken seriously. Or, worse yet, we may take being right as being more important than being kind.

If we Christians want to shake things up regarding popular opinions of “religious people” then the way to do it is to be the best that Christianity has for us. When we reek of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we show the world the love of God and the love of Jesus and that is something that is hard to argue with and hard to resist.

We are called to take the Gospel to the world, and a good way to do that is to serve it up with the fruit of the Spirit.

 

Behold New Things Will Come

 

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf….

Therefore, if anyone one is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17

The very idea that one action can change your life for the good seems almost ridiculous.  Yet, here it is.  God's pledge to us that if we accept His Son, Jesus, as our Savior and acknowledge that He died once for all of us, that all our sins are forgiven and we are made new.  

We can start over, free of the weight of our past mistakes and bad conduct and work through Christ to live better lives.   

And, behold new things will come. 

Do Good Anyway

 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

As Christians we do good works because we have this irresistible urge to make the world a better place for everyone. We may be thanked and we may not; it really doesn’t matter. We do what we do, because this is what God made us for.

Mother Teresa said, “The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.”

Avoid Trouble

 

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

John 7:1

Going out of our way to avoid trouble is the right thing to do.

The Truth Is The Truth

 

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either my heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.

James 5:12

A good reason to always speak the truth is that you never have to remember what you said. We don’t have to say any more and we don’t have to defend the truth, because it is what it is and nothing can change it.

Many Chances

 

…Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

God operates from love to show everyone His kindness and tolerance and patience so that we, being dense when it comes to spiritual things, will come to understand that He is working in our best interests both in terms of earthly matters and in terms of spiritual things.

We can become callous and not appreciate that people who receive second chances in realm of earthly matters by earthly judges or bosses or family members are not receiving this mercy just from humans but from God who invests Himself in changing human hearts.

God is the God of second and third and fourth chances because as long as we have breath in our bodies we have the option of turning our lives around.   

And, asking God’s Son, Jesus, to be our Lord, Master and Savior.

Don't Stand By, Do Somthing

 

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light for everything that becomes visible is light.

Ephesians 5:11-13

The Apostle Paul pointed out that Christians have a responsibility to speak up against evil. That means, when we see something wrong, we need to report it to the police or social services or to someone who can take action. And, if the first telephone call does not get a response, then call someone else. We are not to stand by.  We are to do something.

We are called to action; do what is right.