Show the love!

 

Do you have heroes in your daily  life? Those special people that remind you how to Show the Love?

I’m blessed to attend church with numerous folks that regularly illustrate for me how to show God’s love. These wonderful people have been my role models for many years. I am blessed!

But, that doesn’t mean that I’m perfect. If we’re honest, don’t we sometimes slip and fall short?

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23

Jesus is promising us that He and His Father will be with us if we love Him. Part of obeying Jesus involves seeking His guidance and purpose for our lives. Following Jesus also necessitates that we set aside traits which limit our ability to obey Jesus. These might include the following:

  • Complaining
  • Anger
  • Jealousy and Envy
  • Gossip
  • Criticizing others
  • Being judgmental

I wish I could say that I never exhibit any of the negative characteristics that I’ve listed above, but that would be lying (add another vice to the list!) Unfortunately, I can list behaviors from this past week that include some of the above. Perhaps you might have exhibited some of these same actions, too!

These traits certainly do not exemplify the actions our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ expects from his followers. How can we, as children of God, exhibit the behaviors that Jesus expects?

Firstly, of course, is to develop a close relationship with Jesus through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians.

 

Secondly, we need to examine ourselves carefully (and objectively) and identify the areas that need work. Perhaps we are envious of a co-worker or friend because we perceive them as more confident or attractive. We may spread gossip, but hide it under the guise of sharing “news” with others. Perhaps we criticize others in an effort to cover our own shortcomings. Whatever our faults, we need to be realistic in our analysis and pray earnestly for God’s assistance in dealing with our negative habits. If we have a trait that we could place under the microscope of Jesus and identify that action as being incompatible with the teachings of Jesus, then we know we should ask for God’s help in eliminating the destructive behavior.

Thirdly, we should search in God’s Word for appropriate behaviors to replace these negative characteristics. Jesus promised us a helper and guide so that we might maintain our Christian walk with Him:

“All of this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  John 14:25-26

In Galatians 5:22-23 we are given a list of the behaviors that the Spirit would have us to exhibit as followers of Jesus:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Jesus meant for us to be role models for others.  I pray that we can live by the Fruit of the Spirit so others can see the Light of Jesus within us.

One more thing . . .

Remember my question about your heroes? Is there a special person that has impacted your life? Please share a comment so that we might enjoy your story.

And . . . let them know how much they’ve meant to you.

Perhaps one of the best legacies we can leave is to be a hero for other as to how to live by the Fruit of the Spirit.