Have you ever looked in the mirror and saw someone else? I didn’t think so, that would be really strange wouldn’t it? What about saying one thing and doing another? I think we have all been guilty of that one a time or twelve. I was reading today and came across a few verses in Galatians 5:16-26:
16 So I tell you: Live by following the Spirit. Then you will not do what your sinful selves want.17 Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please.18 But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the law.
19 The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins,20 worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people,21 feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom.22 But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do.25 We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit.26 We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other.
After reading this maybe a thousand times in my life, I finally realized it was talking to me and about me. I had to look in the mirror. Am I really living the way I should? I was a bit shocked when the reflection was not what I expected. For example: I have an almost teenage daughter. I get to the point where I am frustrated with her rebellious attitude towards me and her mom and I often let my anger come out with a loud GO TO YOUR ROOM!!! Looking at the message above, where do I fall? The sinful self reflects anger. Now I am not saying that Christians are not allowed to be angry. What I am saying is that if I use the scripture above to handle the situation, things will be much better. Instead of lashing out to my daughter when I got angry, I should have shown patience and love followed by calm discipline. A simple; Amanda, if you are going to keep this up; you’re going to your room would have been the correct way according to the scripture above. Hold on, I know what you are thinking… Yes, she more than likely would have blew me off and ignored me BUT who’s fault is it that it got this way? Should I expect her to listen to me on the first instruction when her whole life she has learned that she can push me a little further and further until I get angry and discipline her? I don’t think so. I am not going to expect a magic POOF everything is fine now but I will do my best to reflect a fruit of the spirit in everyday life and watch God do his thing in hearts of me and the people I care about.
These precious verses above apply to every aspect of our lives, even… no especially at work. The next time you feel a little tug on the spirit, look in the mirror using the scripture above and reflect on what God has to say about how we are to act.
In Christ,
Scott
love jesus.amen