There are so many things the petty me feel like doing sometimes…ie, ignore that girl that knows me but doesn’t extend pleasantries, withhold compliments cuz she doesn’t say anything too, let the malice grow cuz he didn’t say sorry, lash out with foul words when I am angry…
But no! None of those will take root in us in 2014!
That will never make the wrongs right.
That will set us on the same pedestal with those we are trying to change.
That will dim the light we want to shine forth from within us.
So no, we won’t do like they do…
We’ll extend our hands of friendship…
We’ll sing their praises when needed…
We’ll encourage them when they are down…
We’ll resolve that dispute in a diplomatic way…
We’ll say sorry when need be…
We’ll pray with and for them when need be…
We’ll shine forth the light in us and inadvertently let their own lights shine.
We’ll work towards perfection in Christ…
—————————————————————————————————————–
And today, I truly feel the need to remind myself of the above again. It is not really as easy as it seems, what with the snide remarks we get from people each day and the angry words lodged in our hearts that we just want to spew out.
Sometimes, we really want to give that person a piece of our mind (or sharp mouth), let them know that they are not the only ones capable of dishing out insults…. and when it comes right down to it, its really hard to not do like they do.
But even if we may want to, we truly can’t/shouldn’t.
why?
2Timothy 2;24 -Â “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.”
So we simply CANNOT do like they do.
Now, I can hear even myself snickering and saying its easier said than done but it gets better…
Gentleness and meekness is a fruit of the Spirit!
Galatians 5:22-2-“ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Whoop! Whoop!
We already have the Spirit in us and that makes it easier!
Simply activate the fruit of meekness in you.
You feel like snapping back and bitching like they do? Take a minute to ask God for help, ask the Spirit to bring on a bucket full, a trailer full, as much as you need fruit of meekness in you.
It won’t be easy especially as we want to teach them that we have a sharp mouth too, but that won’t do.
That will dampen the light of God in us.
We are meant to be lights, in words, in conduct, in our relationship with people.
We will try to live in peace with all men even if all we feel like doing is live in pieces with them.
We will spread forth the light and let them know that Christ has changed us from the inside out.
We will shine so bright, they too will ask us how we manage to always be calm even when they push us to the wall: yes, Christ’s meekness in us can cause even the ones that annoy us to wonder.
We will do all these not because its easy, but because in our weakness, God’s strength will be shown forth.
In our razzness, His gentleness and meekness will shine forth.
We can do ALL things through Christ…including being gentle and meek in tough situations.
So do I get an amen from all who are willing to let the fruit of meekness and gentleness work in them?
AMEN!
PS:I am typing this in class, struggled with the meekness ish this morning, I just had to fish out the write up I wrote in January and re-read my post on blasting in tongues of insults (click on this link to see if you haven’thttp://wp.me/p3W2rB-6Q) and write this too, all in a bid to remind myself that I will let Christ’s light shine through my speech, conduct and relationship with people this year.
Yes, its serious matter.
We won’t do like they do this year.
We will shine in all ramifications.
Yes we will.
Onto a restful and fun filled weekend for us all I pray.
*Love, love*
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emmytim
March 14, 2014 at 12:56 pmI remember learning the beatitudes in my pre-teen years and this struck me: “Blessed are the peacemakes, for they shall be called the sons of God”
I was surprised that some1 could be titled God’s son through peace-making, since then i always check myself; “hold your peace & retain your sonship”, and it has kept me 4rm countless troubles.
So when the nasty thoughts are welling up, i just smile quietly & say; “You old serpent, u won’t get me today, clear!”
Thanks for sharing Frances, it is very nice.
imperfectlyperfect92
March 14, 2014 at 6:03 pmI love the words you say when the urge to strike back rears its head up Emmytim.. “you old serpent, you wont get me today”… we will speak it and consciously work towards it. it indeed works. thanks dear
Tomiwa
March 14, 2014 at 2:04 pmI totally relate. Yeah, it’s hard not to blast out, and it’s hard to draw up that special fruit of long-suffering. This is a word I need. Thanks dear. May God continue to strengthen us.
imperfectlyperfect92
March 14, 2014 at 6:04 pmAmen Tomiwa, amen.
I needed/still need this word too.
The fruit of the spirit shall be manifest in us indeed, in Jesus Name, amen
Tomiwa
March 14, 2014 at 7:03 pmAmen dear
Ugochi Jolomi
March 14, 2014 at 2:08 pmGreat post Frances. We cannot do like they do or they will not know there is a better way to do. We all must let our lights shine, it begins in our thoughts, and expressed in our words and actions!
You have a super blessed weekend, and keep God’s light ablaze in and through you!
Love
imperfectlyperfect92
March 14, 2014 at 6:07 pmThank You Aunty Jolomi.. that’s my prayer, that God’s light will shine through me, that a moment of lack of self control will not dampen it…
I noted the “it begins with our thoughts” and our thoughts can only be turned around when we feast on God’s word. that’s the basis of our expressing the light in us.
thanks again ma, have an amazing weekend with all yours
tenderonii
March 14, 2014 at 3:38 pmNo, I won’t do like they do. I play by a different set of rules.
I must say though, that this can only be achieved when we are CONSCIOUS of this fact you have just spoken about. That’s why we always have to remember that message that teaches us to BE SLOW TO SPEAK, because when we are slow, we have more time to construct our words and then, we have no problems in activating that spirit of meekness that’s already in us. We have let the spirit of meekness shine forth on its own. ‘Shikena” .
Thanks dear for this. I’m more conscious of this now. Thanks for blessing me Frances. It is indeed our Year of Greatness
tenderonii
March 14, 2014 at 3:39 pm“Hi Five” dear
imperfectlyperfect92
March 14, 2014 at 6:10 pmI concur Hannah, we have to watch it and be conscious of it, slow to anger and slow to speak and only God can help us make this turn around o, cuz humanly speaking, we will always want to claim rights. but we wont, not because we cant, but because we chose to show others that there is a better way with Christ’s light in us.
thanks dearie. as usual, I gleaned more wisdom from your comment
topeogunyinka
March 14, 2014 at 5:11 pmThis came at a right time….thanks for sharing.
imperfectlyperfect92
March 14, 2014 at 6:11 pmI am glad it spoke to you Tope, thanks for stopping by..
praisegeorge
March 15, 2014 at 11:23 pmPaul wrote to the Galatians, “My little children for whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in you.”
The Christian race is primarily about being conformed to the image of Christ. We need to travail in the place of prayer for the Holy Spirit to reach into our soul and work out the perfect Will of God in our character.
To follow peace with all men and live in holiness is a life long pursuit.
imperfectlyperfect92
March 16, 2014 at 8:31 amthanks so much Sir, as always true words of wisdom.
indeed, the place of prayers cannot be relegated to the background. I even adopted praying for the person who annoys me at different point in time and it worked.
Until Christ be formed in us and even then we will continue to let the Holy Spirit reach into our soul and work on all that needs to be worked on. by His grace, amen.
thank you Praisegeorge.
Catherine
March 16, 2014 at 2:19 pmReally this is captivating! Thanks for talking to me… I know some girls who do like that (knows me but doesn’t extend pleasantries) but, I won’t do like they do at least from now. Thanks Frances for this, God bless you sis!
imperfectlyperfect92
March 16, 2014 at 7:45 pmyou can do like my roomate even Catherine, when she notices that someone doesn’t extend pleasantries, she goes all out on the meekness thing, calls you out and says “hello, I am greeting you oo”, all said with a really lovely smile, funny girl, and it works, you wont feel “somehow” and will reach out with love like you should.
God help us all, thanks for coming on here sis.
uchenna
March 16, 2014 at 6:15 pmthanks for sharing dear.
keep up the good work.
ezechimereuchenna.blogspot.com
imperfectlyperfect92
March 16, 2014 at 7:46 pmthank you muxh Uchenna. *smiles*
Naijamum
March 17, 2014 at 5:56 amTrying so hard not to do like they do, with the consolation that with God all things are possible. Beautiful and poetic write-up with rhymes.
imperfectlyperfect92
March 17, 2014 at 11:48 pmahh, thank you my very own Naija mummy. with The Holy Spirit’s help, we wont try so hard anymore, it will become our own nature soon…