“But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.”—Galatians 5:22, 23 (KJV)
It’s my ongoing
mission to promote optimism. I’m here to empower people, including myself.
Christmas is
a perfect time to renew our belief in a brighter future. It’s the occasion for
using the fruits of the Spirit, as listed above.
These are
the attributes we celebrate at this time of year. Individuals want to fill their minds with
faith-producing light. Our hearts are softened. For at least a short time, we
might allow ourselves to set aside…
- Political or celebrity scandals
- Websites that sell unnecessary $500 products by promoting fear
- Terror- or anger-producing news or reality shows
What are we looking for?
Roses have thorns. Even if our lives aren’t perfect (and whose
is?), we still want…
- Hallmark Channel movies that have a guaranteed happy ending despite the odds.
- Grimm’s Fairy Tales that end happily, unlike the original stories upon which they’re based.
It’s hard
not to smile and think optimistically when we see images such as those posted
above. They remind us of the most
important fact of life: Good wins in the end because of Jesus’ life and
resurrection. Let’s examine
the main facet of the Savior’s life:
Charity
This word
means much more than giving time or goods to the needy. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, it is translated from the Greek word for the highest form of love: agape. which means unconditional love.
Optimism is
a choice many people make during the
holiday season. Why is that? The season is about
Jesus, and our Lord is all about love. He IS love, without boundaries. We can’t fully
celebrate His season if we’re full of doubt, hate, fear, or anger.
NOTE: The following table is formulated
entirely from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13.
It’s more important than…
|
Attributes
|
Brilliant powers of speech
|
Long-suffering
|
Faith
|
Kind
|
Knowledge
|
Humble
|
Prophecy
|
Rejoices in truth
|
Hope
|
Bear, believes, hopes, and endures all
things
|
Desire to give to the poor
|
Never fails
|
Understanding of spiritual mysteries
|
Not self-centered
|
Conclusion
The true
Spirit of Christmas boils down to one word, agape, as exemplified by Christ. This
divine characteristic is specifically manifest through the fruits of the
spirit, as mentioned in Galatians, chapter 5.
Love and
spiritual light go together. That’s why the holiday season gives us a chance to
rise above our troubles, if only momentarily.
Related Posts
How are you giving and receiving
agape?
No comments:
Post a Comment