Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday! To whom, you might ask? To me, of course!

Today is, in fact, my birthday. Here are the gifts I would like for my birthday, so take notes:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Wouldn't that be wonderful - to consistently have those personal characteristics? To have even one, consistently, in all circumstances, would be amazing. Self control, for example. To have self control, even in the most difficult circumstances, would be such an incredible blessing. I wouldn't say or do things thoughtlessly, without considering the consequences beforehand. I would avoid all kinds of embarrassing and hurtful situations, if only I had better self control. That would be such an awesome birthday gift - just to have self control!

Isn't this an excellent list of characteristics? Wouldn't the world be a much, much better place if everyone had them consistently - or at least tried?

Of course, to those of you familiar with the Bible, this list is one you know. It's from Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 and 23:

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.

When people disparage Christians, saying that Christians are intolerant, hateful, ignorant, and so on, I'm always rather amazed. It shows that they really don't understand Christianity or Christians.

The fruit of the Spirit (and there are many, many other similar verses), lay out how Christians are supposed to be. It is the ideal to which Christians strive to attain. How can anyone argue against this? Do you see intolerance or hatred, or even anything remotely similar, in that list?

The problem, then, is that people all too often see Christians behaving in ways contrary to the fruit of the Spirit. And so, with some justification, they think that Christians are hypocritical, intolerant and self-righteous. Right?

You know, because they are human, sometimes Christians are hypocritical, intolerant and self-righteous, but that doesn't at all invalidate the message of Christianity. Why? Because being a Christian isn't so much something you are, as much as it is something you do.

Practice Makes Perfect!

I have a young son - 11 years old. He loves sports - basketball, football, baseball, soccer. You name it - if it involves a ball, he wants to play.

He also knows all the best players, in minute detail. He can mimic the baseball swing of just about all of the famous hitters. He can do the end zone dance of a bunch of football players. He tries to do all the moves of the big name basketball players. He tries to walk like them, talk like them, act like them (to my dismay, sometimes). He looks up to them as role models. They are his heroes.

Now, can my son actually knock home runs out of the park like those big-leaguers? Can he out-run NFL defensive backs and catch long touchdown passes? Can he fake an NBA player out of his socks, drive to the basket, and dunk the ball over a seven-footer?

Obviously, the answer is no.

But here's the point: it doesn't stop him from trying. He knows perfectly well that he can't do those things - now. But (and I encourage him in this), he knows that if he keeps trying, practicing, striving, working hard, and listening to his coaches, then someday he just might be able to do some of the things that his heroes can do. With enough practice and hard work, perhaps someday he will be a hero to some young person. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

So, does the fact that he can't perform at the level of the professional athletes now make it worthless for him to play at all?

No? Why not?

Obviously, because he is still just learning. He still has a long ways to go before he reaches that level of performance, so we overlook the missed shots, dropped passes, and strike outs, and encourage him when he does his best. Right? Isn't that what you would do for your children?

Who is Your Hero?

I don't consistently have the personal characteristics that are the fruit of the Spirit. Does that make me a hypocrite? Does that mean that I'm not truly a Christian? No - because being a Christian is something you do, not something you are. You strive, practice, work, emulating the most incredible hero of heroes: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. I'm not like Him yet, but does that stop me from trying? No! In the words of Hebrews 12:1-3:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Even though I'm not yet like Jesus, I keep on trying to emulate Him. Someday, maybe, I'll actually have one or two of the fruit of the Spirit with some consistency, and that will be the best gift ever!

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