Category Archives: Fruit of the Spirit

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December 14, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works, Obedience

THE SECOND MILE

If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. If you are kind only to your friends, how can you be different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. [Matthew 5:41-42 (NLT)]

great egretIn Jesus’ day, Roman law allowed a soldier to compel any able-bodied man in a conquered province to carry the soldier’s gear one mile. A Roman mile was 1,000 paces of five feet each (a little less than our mile) and a soldier’s pack could weigh as much as 100 pounds. In a similar way, Roman soldiers forced Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross of Jesus out of Jerusalem. Such impressment by an occupying army was viewed with outrage by the Jews and yet Jesus told them to willingly carry the load beyond what demanded by the soldier.

We don’t live with an occupying army so what does this command mean to us? Is the second mile simply bringing up a neighbor’s trash cart after we’ve brought up ours or is it more? Most life/career coaches tell their clients that going the extra mile is the secret to business success. The employee who gets promoted usually is the one who went above and beyond what was demanded. Is self-promotion the purpose of taking the second mile?

The second mile Jesus demands is more than another 1,000 paces, bringing in a neighbor’s trash bins, or being an exemplary employee. The first mile is loving, helping and praying for our neighbor; the second mile is loving, helping, and praying for our enemies or those we don’t know. That first mile is the mile we can see; the second mile is the one we can’t—the one that might have rough terrain, steep hills and slippery slopes, and without the promise of positional or financial gain. Jesus lived in the second mile. He touched the untouchable, loved the unlovable, and bore the unbearable. As Christians, how willing are we to take that extra mile?

Let us remember that, when Simon of Cyrene carried the cross to Golgotha, he didn’t carry it for the soldiers; he carried it for Jesus. When we go the extra mile, we’re not doing it for our neighbor, boss, or even our enemy; like Simon, we’re doing it for the Lord!  A Christian’s second mile is carried willingly and doesn’t stop at 5,280 feet; there is no end to our second mile because there is no limit to our love. Rather than first mile believers, we must be second mile disciples!

When we love the Lord, obedience ceases to be a burden. Obedience becomes a delight. [Joseph B. Wirthlin]

You have heard the law that says, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. [Matthew 6:43-45a (NLT)]

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December 6, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works

THE LAST SUPPER (Part 1 – Servant Leadership)

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. [Matthew 20:26-28 (NLT)]

monarch butterfly - thistleWhen picturing the Last Supper, we probably visualize it much like Leonardo da Vinci’s famous mural with the men seated on chairs at one long table. While visually appealing, the picture is inaccurate. Instead of sitting on chairs with their feet concealed under the dinner table, Jews and Romans in Jesus’ day lounged on low sofas or cushions surrounding a low three-sided table called a triclinium. The cushions or couches were placed on the outside of the three sides which left the inside open for serving and entertainment.  Diners would recline on their left sides, lean into the bosom of the person on their left, support their heads with their left arms, eat and drink with their right hands, and stretch their legs out to the right.

Crowded together, each person’s head wouldn’t be that far from someone else’s feet. Considering where people’s sandaled feet had walked and what they’d walked in, we now understand why providing for foot washing was an expected part of hospitality. Sometimes, a servant (usually the lowest one in the household) did this task. In the absence of a servant, however, it was customary for the host to leave out a pitcher of water, a basin, and a towel so that the guests could wash their own feet. This must have been the case that Thursday night when Jesus and the disciples gathered in the upper room.

Just a few days earlier, after the mother of James and John requested honored places for her boys in the coming kingdom, Jesus told all of the disciples, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” If everything they needed to wash their feet was there, why did the disciples walk right past the pitcher and towel? They certainly didn’t expect Jesus to wash their feet but, with no slave present to do it for them, why didn’t the men pause long enough to wash their own? Author Adam Hamilton posits that the men didn’t stop to wash their own feet because they feared that, by stopping, they might actually have to act the servant and wash someone else’s feet. In spite of Jesus’ words, it appears that the disciples still didn’t understand what it meant to be a servant leader.

Jesus was the leader and they were His followers; He was the teacher and they were His students. In truth, they were the ones who should have been washing His feet but Jesus reversed all social expectations. Wrapping the towel at his waist and filling the basin with water, He took the lowest servant’s part, knelt by each man, and washed his feet. Those were the feet of betrayers, deniers, and deserters; Jesus knew what they’d done and what they soon would do. Rather than a job for God incarnate, this was a menial chore for the lowest servant but Jesus did it anyway! He showed us all what it means to be a servant leader. May we always follow His example!

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. [John 13:12-14 (NLT)]

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December 3, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Fruit of the Spirit, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Love & Works, Today: Make it Count

ADVENT LOVE

This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God’s new age. After all, God didn’t send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him. [John 3:16-17 (NTE)]

While we’re busy decorating our homes, planning holiday menus, finding the perfect gift for everyone on our list, and stressed about supply chain issues and shipping delays affecting the receipt of those gifts, let’s not forget that we’re in the season of Advent. This is a time for us to prepare for the second coming of Christ and to ponder the gifts of hope, love, peace, and joy we received with His first coming.

Although the observation of Advent has no Biblical mandate and its traditions vary throughout various denominations and nationalities, many churches observe this season with an Advent wreath and candles. At our northern church, last Sunday’s candle was the Prophet’s Candle, the candle of hope. This Sunday’s candle will be the Bethlehem candle, the candle of love. It was on that holy night in Bethlehem long ago that God’s love for His fallen children took on human form. When thinking about this amazing gift of love, the words of Christina Georgina Rossetti’s beautiful poem come to mind. “Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine; love was born at Christmas, star and angels gave the sign.”

God is love and that baby born in Bethlehem so very long ago was God! When love was made manifest in Jesus, we saw that love is far more than an abstract idea or emotion. We not only saw how much God loved us, but we also saw what real love looks like, and it has nothing to do with expensive gifts, gaily wrapped boxes, beautifully decorated cookies, or wreaths, colored lights, and tinsel. It has to do with serving others, humility, patience, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, mercy, and sacrifice.

In a season marked by materialism, stress, shopping, over-eating (and drinking), travel, and entertaining, let us reflect upon the love of a God who, rather than giving up on his sinful rebellious children, loved us enough to sacrifice his only Son for our salvation. That Son was “love incarnate, love divine” as He put on the flesh of humanity, was born of a woman, suffered and died for us just so He could redeem us with His own blood! Born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, He loved us enough to become flesh and blood, not so that He could be with us, but so that we could be with Him!

It’s been pointed out that, while it’s easy to believe in Christmas and even easier to celebrate it, it’s much harder to live Christmas. “Love incarnate, love divine” is the true meaning of Christmas. As God loved us, may we love others in the same way, not just in this season, but all year long.

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign. [Christina Georgina Rossetti]

The one who does not love has not known God, because God is love. This is how God’s love has appeared among us: God sent his only son into the world, so that we should live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the sacrifice that would atone for our sins. Beloved, if that’s how God loved us, we ought to love one another in the same way. [1 John 4:8-11 (NTE)]

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November 24, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works, Today: Make it Count

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME

Photo: Dennis Johnson

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. … Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. [James 4:13-14,17 (NLT)]

Last week, I missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—the longest lunar eclipse to occur in a span of 1,000 years. The last time a lengthy lunar eclipse happened was in 1440 and the next one won’t occur until 2669! Although I woke in the middle of the night and remembered the eclipse, I let the threat of clouds, the inconvenience of going outside in the middle of the night, and the lure of sleep deter me. Instead of seizing the opportunity, I rolled over and went back to sleep. Although it will be much shorter, I can always see another lunar eclipse next year. Then again, there’s no guarantee that the sky will be clear that night or that I’ll be awake (or even alive) between midnight and 3:00 AM on May 22! A missed opportunity is missed forever!

When pondering once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, I think of the time Jesus passed through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. A blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Annoyed by his cries, the crowd following Jesus yelled at him to be quiet. Perhaps, like many of their time, they considered illness and disability God’s punishment for one’s sins and didn’t think the blind man deserved Jesus’ attention. In any case, Bartimaeus was not to be deterred. Taking the opportunity before him, he called out so loudly and persistently that Jesus heard the blind man’s voice, called to him, and restored the man’s sight.

As Jesus walked through Jericho, a wealthy tax collector named Zacchaeus wanted to catch a glimpse of the famous rabbi. A little man, Zacchaeus was too short to see over people’s heads and couldn’t push his way to the front of the crowd. As the chief tax-collector, he probably was the most hated man in Jericho and no one was about to make way for the man. In fact, Zacchaeus probably was shoved around by the crowd and may have encountered a few deliberate pokes in his ribs. Like Bartimaeus, however, the publican was not about to be deterred. He ran ahead (a very undignified thing for a government official) and climbed up a sycamore tree to get a view of Jesus as He passed. Seeing his determination, Jesus called him down and invited himself to the tax man’s house.

That day, Jesus restored the sight of Bartimaeus and brought salvation to the home of Zacchaeus but what if those two men had allowed the opportunity to know Jesus slip past them? Like most, they thought Jesus was going to Jerusalem for Passover and would be passing back through town again. Thinking they’d catch Jesus next time He came through town, they easily could have allowed the crowd to deter them. Jesus, however, was on His way to the cross and that one day in Jericho was their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Regretfully, I’ve missed far more important opportunities than seeing a six-hour lunar eclipse—opportunities to be kind, helpful, compassionate, and generous. I’ve allowed myself to be deterred from opportunities to witness, defend, advocate, assist, and support. Like Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus, we don’t know if today is the last day a particular opportunity will arise nor do we know what tomorrow will bring. Today, let us take advantage of all the God-given opportunities it offers.

If today were your last, would you do what you’re doing? Or would you love more, give more, forgive more? Then do so! Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again. [Max Lucado]

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. [Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)]

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. [Galatians 6:9-10 (NLT)]

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October 15, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, Fruit of the Spirit, Obedience, Today: Make it Count

STATS

Does this sound as if I am trying to win human approval? No indeed! What I want is God’s approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ. [Galatians 1:10 (GNT)]

canna - bandana of the evergladesA pastor friend who’s led dozens of mission trips used to evaluate his mission’s success by the number of new believers gained during the trip. If the latest mission’s altar call stats did not exceed the previous mission’s numbers, he felt it was a failure. Like him, we tend to be number people who measure our success or failure quantitatively. Business success is gauged by the balance sheet, bottom line, and price-earnings ratio; financial success by income, the value of our investment portfolio, and the size of our house or the price of our car. Regardless of the sport, with their assorted BAs, RBIs, Yds, Gs, PPRs, FT%s, and GOAT points, stats seem to evaluate every athlete’s success. Social success is assessed by the number of holiday cards we send or receive, how many “friends” we have on social media, and how many “likes” we got on our latest post. Intellectual success is measured by IQ, SAT, ACT and GPA numbers. A pastor assesses his success by Sunday’s attendance (or the offering), the teacher by the standardized test results of her students, and the author by his book’s ranking on the best seller list. I’m no different; I often check my website’s stats to see the number of followers, visitors, and views.

When we quantitatively assess our lives, it’s way too easy to find people with better numbers than ours. Moreover, when the numbers aren’t stellar, we often think we’re failures. God, however, isn’t an accountant or statistician. He measures success by standards completely different than those of the world. His standards are qualitative—the quality of our obedience, faith, and love.

That pastor friend eventually came to understand that God looks at a mission’s success far differently than man. Regardless of the number of new believers gained, when the pastor obediently follows God’s direction to lead a mission—to spread God’s word and share His love—he has been a good and faithful servant. When we hear God’s call and whole-heartedly respond to the best of our ability, regardless of the statistics, we have not failed. Success is when we go where He sends us and do what He tells us to do.

Let’s stop playing the numbers game and judging ourselves quantitatively by the world’s standards. Rather than comparing our scores to those of other people, there is only one person to whom we should compare ourselves and that is Christ. He sets the standard for our behavior and, while that standard is observable, it is not measurable. We’re successful if the fruit of His Spirit is visible in our lives—if we demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. In God’s book, we’re successful when we become the sort of people Jesus wants us to be.

We should do what we do in order to gain God’s approval instead of prestige and approval from other human beings. … Are we motivated by the approval of people or the applause of God? [Phil Harper]

You should each judge your own conduct. If it is good, then you can be proud of what you yourself have done, without having to compare it with what someone else has done. For each of you have to carry your own load. [Galatians 6:4-5 (GNT)]

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October 11, 2021

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Fruit of the Spirit, Money & Wealth, Sharing Our Faith

BAD EXAMPLES

Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life in your neighborhood so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives. [1 Peter 2:11-12 (MSG)]

laughing gullWe’d gathered for coffee when the conversation turned to tipping. Several who had been servers at one time or another mentioned what notoriously bad tippers church people seem to be. Rather than a tip, some only leave a religious tract. A barista admitted removing any she finds in the tip jar because her fellow workers find them incredibly offensive. Rather than bringing anyone to Jesus, they serve to further distance non-believers from any church!

I recalled my college days in the 60s when many restaurants and businesses had restroom attendants. Rather than money, my fellow Campus Crusaders often left religious tracts in the attendant’s tip jar. Believing that a woman who cleaned up other people’s messes in bathroom sinks and stalls for tips (and purchased gum, breath mints, hand lotion, and perfume to increase those tips) would appreciate the money more than a tract, I always left money.

Thinking that leaving a tract meant they could “chalk one up” for Jesus, my friends may have  congratulated themselves for sharing the Gospel but I thought they were taking the cheap and easy way out of witnessing for Christ. Religious tracts aren’t a substitute for sharing the Word; they are mere tools. While they may get a conversation going, explain a concept, or provide information, they don’t replace interacting with someone. Tracts are an extension of a relationship, not a replacement for one. Relationships, however, take time and effort.

Since we were discussing “bad” Christian behavior, the barista mentioned the incivility of some of the local clergy who frequent her shop. One minister is so notorious that the baristas play rock-paper-scissors to determine who has to wait on him! Doing nothing to promote the Kingdom with their short-tempers, supercilious manner, or brusque behavior, those rude clergy could take a lesson from my son.

While listening to him talk with an airline’s customer service agent, I knew why he’s such a good salesman. He sincerely cares about the people with whom he interacts. Rather than beginning with a complaint about the airline, he started out by asking the agent how she was doing, where she was located, and followed up by commenting on the location and asking about the weather. He sincerely tried to find some common ground before launching into the problem at hand. My son, however, doesn’t save his charm for people who can help him. He’s that way with baristas, butchers, bell hops, bus boys, cashiers, and supermarket baggers as well as neighbors, vendors, employees, customers, and bankers. Everyone he meets is treated with the same amount of courtesy and respect. As salesmen for Christ, we must do the same!

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Sadly, many people hold that same sentiment. Both believers and non-believers can be arrogant, nasty, and stingy but that doesn’t make it right! It’s not just the eyes of God that are upon us—the world sees us and judges Jesus by our behavior.

It simply comes back to how we treat people—not just the people we like, want to impress, or who can do something for us—but everyone from the homeless man, server, janitor, and landscaper all the way to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Remembering to reflect God’s grace and generosity in all things, let’s not further the stereotype that Christians are a rude, judgmental, and cheap lot! (And, if you want to leave a tract, be sure to leave a hefty tip, as well!)

The world takes its notions of God from the people who say that they belong to God’s family. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus Christ. [Alexander Maclaren]

Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get. [Matthew 7:12 (MSG)]

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