Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law
When I was younger the wiser ones in faith often reminded us that these qualities described with the singular "fruit"
I thought it was pretty clever observation, with an important implication: a christian shall bear these qualities and bear them simultaneously.
It isn't a question of which do you have, but do you have them all?
Still the implication of this implication was what truly eluded me. That is, until Saturday.
I observed that sometimes we keep one in compromise of another. Peace may well be one of the main culprits. I don't know where it started, but somewhere along the way, people have come to accept peace as some sort of the ultimate good, that we somehow had to right to insist on having peace... a phenomena known as "Peace Out".
And this, without a shadow of doubt, is exercised at the cost of love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness? gentleness and while it has the veneer of self control, it is actually the thorough avoidance of control.
What about patience? Sometimes to artificially extend our patience, we sit out. Try not to get too attached.. try to not be concerned and so distance ourselves and make things more bearable.
At what cost is such patience exercised?
God does call us to balance, radical balance. I remember talking about this while teaching in school. I did say that this view for me, was inspired by Christianity. But I was talking about work and play at that time. (oooh talking about religion and living the teacher's life on the edge.)
|____| | |
| | | |
| | |____|
|____| |____|
This is imbalance.
| | | |
|____| |____|
| | | |
|____| |____|
This is what many people mean when they say strike a balance. They're mistaken, this is a compromise.
|____| |____|
| | | |
| | | |
|____| |____|
This is radical balance.
I hear it, this is what we are called to...
Therefore, be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law
When I was younger the wiser ones in faith often reminded us that these qualities described with the singular "fruit"
I thought it was pretty clever observation, with an important implication: a christian shall bear these qualities and bear them simultaneously.
It isn't a question of which do you have, but do you have them all?
Still the implication of this implication was what truly eluded me. That is, until Saturday.
I observed that sometimes we keep one in compromise of another. Peace may well be one of the main culprits. I don't know where it started, but somewhere along the way, people have come to accept peace as some sort of the ultimate good, that we somehow had to right to insist on having peace... a phenomena known as "Peace Out".
And this, without a shadow of doubt, is exercised at the cost of love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness? gentleness and while it has the veneer of self control, it is actually the thorough avoidance of control.
What about patience? Sometimes to artificially extend our patience, we sit out. Try not to get too attached.. try to not be concerned and so distance ourselves and make things more bearable.
At what cost is such patience exercised?
God does call us to balance, radical balance. I remember talking about this while teaching in school. I did say that this view for me, was inspired by Christianity. But I was talking about work and play at that time. (oooh talking about religion and living the teacher's life on the edge.)
|____| | |
| | | |
| | |____|
|____| |____|
This is imbalance.
| | | |
|____| |____|
| | | |
|____| |____|
This is what many people mean when they say strike a balance. They're mistaken, this is a compromise.
|____| |____|
| | | |
| | | |
|____| |____|
This is radical balance.
I hear it, this is what we are called to...
Therefore, be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect.
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