Today is the Twelfth Day of Christmas. It is not a tradition I grew up with in my evangelical protestant faith - but it does provide a time of transition and "waiting" for us as we anticipate Epiphany, which was another event we didn't pay attention to in my family. Still, I like the times of anticipation.
Today it reminds me of the GIFTS God has given to us - and continues to give us and grow in us if we are willing to cooperate. My thoughts are specifically on the Fruits of the Spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering (most often listed as Patience or Patient Endurance), Goodness, Kindness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. Can you imagine how different the world would be if people loved the Lord and sought to operate in the gifts that he so freely gives to those who seek him and ask for his gifts to grow in them?
LOVE - an action verb, not a warm, fuzzy feeling. Treating others the way God would treat them. Feeding the hungry, binding up the wounds of those who are injured, meeting the needs of the broken-hearted, putting others needs above our own.
JOY - knowing the JOY of having the Lord in our lives - and that if we leave this world with him as our Lord and Savior we are RICH! Nothing else is more important than our relationship with him.
PEACE - a PEACE that can come only by knowing God. Jesus didn't come to bring peace to the world - but an inner peace to those who accept him as Savior - and they become the ambassadors of his "peace on earth" poured out to others.
LONG SUFFERING - with God as our model. Exercising patience for God's plan to unfold. Waiting for the fruition of the seeds planted - spiritual seeds, not those of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Waiting for the Lord’s will to be accomplished even when we can’t see it happening.
GOODNESS - being good as a reflection of Jesus in us - and we can't do it without him and the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
KINDNESS - being kind and thoughtful to everyone, no matter how much we disagree with them or are offended by their behaviors, beliefs, or words.
FAITHFULNESS - being faithful! That's huge! God demands our faithfulness. It is not an option! It requires being intentional and takes discipline, discipline, discipline.
GENTLENESS - this is a huge one for me! Quite a few years ago the Lord spoke to me and said, "We are going to work on your gentleness." "Great, I thought! God's going to make me gentle as he wants me to be." Not! What he did was throw multiple experiences and opportunities my way in which to practice 'gentleness'. It was one thing after another - and I got a lot of practice! It is still an area I deal with often. God is still working, and I am still trying.
and, last of all:
SELF CONTROL - this is soooooo important, and so terribly lacking in our world. People have lost their plumb line for being metered and measured with their word, their actions, and their expectations of others. We need ALL of the Fruits of the Spirit, but we definitely need a big dose of self control.
Years ago it was a fad to wear a bracelet that had the letters WWJD on it. I didn't happen to have one - but I appreciated the reminder: What Would Jesus Do? It is a reminder for just slowing down before I speak or act, and think about being like Jesus. What would he do?
He was not a pacifist - as was clearly demonstrated when he threw the money-changers unceremoniously out of the temple and overturned their tables because they were greedy and taking unfair advantage of those who needed that service provided.
He also called the religious leaders a den of vipers, and told them they were white-washed tombs. He didn't pull punches or sugar coat his words for those who claimed to be pure and weren't.
Even so, he exhibited all the Fruits of the Spirit - and doesn't ask us to do anything he didn't do himself. The difference is: he was God, and we're not, so we need his help to accomplish his will in our lives, even in the way we relate to others at the most basic level.
Lord, keep nudging! Keep reminding!
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