Reflections for 3/14/14

"Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things."(Galatians 5:19-23)


What type of advice do you find most helpful? The kind that tells you what you shouldn't do, or the kind that tells you what you should do?


Personally I'd rather be given advice in the positive rather than the negative. But for some reason we more often are told what not to do, and of course it usually seems like something we really want to do.


So that's why I love the contrast here. The don't do list, starts off as one where most of us can smugly look in a mirror as we check off what we don't do, unfortunately if we keep reading we'll find some overwhelming behavior of ours on there.


The contrasting list however is fascinating. It points to ways of being rather than specific actions. Perhaps the invitation that is being given is that when you start modeling your life on that list, you don't even come close to taking on actions from the other list.


I can't say that I've got it right 100% of the time. But I do know that daily I try to live a life governed by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It isn't easy, but ultimately well worth it.


Blessings,

Ed