May the mumbling commence!
Kindness, gentleness and goodness are a reflection of our God. They are fruits of the Spirit. Kindness, gentleness and goodness are imperative in all situations, but they are essential when times are tough.
Because, when times are tough, it is far too easy to have a short fuse with people. It is far too easy to think primarily of ourselves. It is far too easy to take advantage of other people for our own benefit.
Instead, we need to operate on the firm belief in the abundance of God. When we are convinced of the abundance of God, we can extend kindness and goodness and gentleness in the seemingly bleakest of situations. Just think about how bleak our situations were before Christ Jesus did his saving work. Read from the end of Romans chapter five and the beginning of chapter six (NLT):
God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful kindness became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. (5:20-6:4)
If we are kind and gentle and good, won’t people take advantage of us? Yes. God knows that better than anyone. But that is a chance that God is willing to take because of the great love that the Creator has for all of creation. Kindness, gentleness and goodness are built upon the foundation of love.
Then Paul plays devil’s advocate. So, should we sin all that we can to make God’s loving-kindness and forgiveness abound. No way!
When we are baptized into Christ and his Spirit, we are baptized into his death. We die to our former selves. And we rise to new life just as Jesus was resurrected.
Then, slowly, we begin to comprehend that the Way of Christ is not upside-down to what we thought as normal. We begin to understand that our lives before Christ were spent upside-down for so long that we thought we were right-side up.
So, let’s live in kindness and goodness and gentleness and reflect the Spirit of God for the world to see.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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