This
Week’s Memory Verse:
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of
fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these
things! Galatians 5:22-23
Fruit—soft or
crunchy—is a basic food providing us with nourishment and sustenance. The Holy
Spirit produces fruit in our lives that are qualities of character that we
should value in our lives, sustaining our spiritual life with essential traits
that reflect Jesus. These fruits are a gift from God through the Holy Spirit to
those who honor God. Peter describes seeking the quality of self-control along
with other qualities and makes a profound statement about our productivity
along with the usefulness of knowledge of Jesus Christ.
By his divine
power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have
received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by
means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and
excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises
that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption
caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to
God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral
excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for
everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you
will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to
develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been
cleansed from their old sins. 2 Peter 1:3-9
Think of people that you know who are self- controlled. Do you think it
is really their own “control” or are they allowing Christ to guide their lives?
The Christian friends I can recall who express a high level of self-control are
apparently not “self” controlled, but their lives are so Christ centered that
they exhibit the very character of Jesus Christ when confronted with challenges
so that their emotions are stable and they don’t make hot headed decision.
Self-controlled under adverse situations. That was how Jesus was. Think of His response
to His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Put the sword away.” “I am the one
you are seeking.” Self-control. Not striking back. Honorably submissive. Not running
from danger.
The quality
of gentleness is also an admirable virtue. Paul is speaking here to new Christians
in Colossae. The same advice is valid for all Christians throughout all time—that
includes us. Be renewed—choose to have gentleness…meekness or humility…be part
of your character. This is not a weakness—but strength as a gift from God. It
is mentioned several times in association with humility in the books of the New
Testament. You can check that out yourself
in a word search on the Blue Letter Bible or Gateway Bible web sites.
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn
to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter
if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric,
uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of
us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe
yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who
offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:10-13
How would you
rate yourself in the area of gentleness? Are you kindly caring towards other—no
matter their age, nationality, status in life… or even their own demeanor? Can you
treat others with gentle words and actions? You do know that words and actions originate
within each of our own thoughts? So, how is your thought life today? Are you
thinking gentle and self-controlled thoughts?
Prayer
~ Lord God, I hear Your words of gifts of the Holy Spirit which include
gentleness and self-control. These are qualities that I see and hear in You as
I study Your Word. You told us that You are gentle…Take my yoke upon you. Let
me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. Matthew 11:29. Give rest to my friends, family, neighbors and
those reading this and seeking to know more about You. Additionally, You showed
self-control continually with Your disciples…and even with the Pharisees…who
just didn’t seem to get Your message when You were trying to teach them
something about Yourself and the Kingdom of God. Please reveal more of Yourself
to me today. I praise You Jesus—You are my Lord and Savior…a living example of
gentleness and self-control. Holy Spirit, grant me these qualities and make
these part of my character that I would bring glory and honor to the Lord God.
Daily
Bible Reading: Proverbs 27-29
© 2019 Text and
photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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