Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.
Oh happy day to you all!
I so appreciate your FAITHFULNESS! Haha! You see what I did there? I used that word on purpose just to be able to remind those who didn't read my last post to click that word when you can to check it out!
I think I went full biblestudy mode in that post.
It was necessary.
I'm very honest when I say this, I'm currently being tested greatly in my fruit of faithfulness. Where at one point watching others progress and excel in life didn't phase me pretty much at all, in this season it's starting to do so.
Just a wee bit.
And where an older version of me would have self-righteously listed off everything that I believe I've done right, this new version of me is humbly wondering if I've done or am doing something wrong.
????
As strong as the temptation to give up is, the pit of me won't allow me to.
I'm reminded of the pit of a fruit and how some fruits have one and others don't. Apples and grapes have seeds. Peaches and apricots have pits. I researched that seeds are the embryo of a fruit and pits are the protective shell around the seeds inside of a fruit. I also found out that in order for seeds to produce fruit, the conditions have to be right. Yet in order for a pit to produce fruit, the conditions have to be optimal. Meaning the BEST or most favorable.
I caught a revelation. What may be transpiring right now is some people may be in seed form producing fruit and others may be in pit form waiting for a more opportune time to produce fruit.
Furthermore, for a more personal perspective, some of our own fruit have seeds and our other fruit have pits. If you yourself have been experiencing more pressure surrounding a particular fruit than the others, such as your faithfulness, it could be God orchestrating the conditions to foster reproduction.
Catch this please, because I was struggling until this very moment to articulate what's really going on.
He could be peeling away old layers of flesh to leave your pit exposed and raw so that the elements can get a hold to it. You will remain exposed until the conditions are most favorable for you to grow and reproduce.
If you're reading this right now, dry your eyes my love! Settle your soul. You're not doing anything wrong.
The elements of this season is conspiring in your favor!
Be of good courage!
Moving right along shall we?
I have a lot of favorite movies. Old ones. New ones. Funny ones. Serious ones. If you were to ask me to pick one of my favorite action films, I would tell you with a childlike excitement, TRANSFORMERS!
Needless to say, I've always completely marveled at the concept of these super dope extraterrestrial robots that can kick butt across the city and then just as casually hide in plain sight as a car.
The creators of this idea is absolutely genius, I tell ya!
You have the Autobots (the good robots) and the Decepticons (the bad robots) and the war between the two. My favorite of course is Optimus Prime! The courageous level headed hero and leader of the Autobots. When he shows up on the scene he shuts things down! He has this unique voice that commands attention.
My second favorite is Bumblebee. The low-key savage that morphs into a Volkswagen Beatle. In the latest film he's been upgraded and can change into a Chevy Camaro.
Is this not cool or what?
Ok, my geek is revealing itself so bad right now.
I will simmer down.
If you've never seen a Transformers film it's ok. (Shame on your life!) But the gist of what I want you to keep for your reference as we partake in the 8th fruit for today, is these beings ability to shape shift or transform into something unintimidating and unassuming.
What's the 8th fruit you ask?
GENTLENESS.
I want to believe that this fruit gives a believer that same ability as the transformers. It's another one of those fruit though, that can't stand alone without the others we've previously discussed. It's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE!
Here's why.
The adversities of life has the potential to harden people. When people don't heal well, they turn callous. They tend to encounter other people like you and I and can rub us the wrong way. In worse case scenarios, these hardened, sharp edged people end up hurting other people. People like you and I and then we wind up possibly turning into people like them!
We all know the saying about hurt people. I don't have to repeat it.
Then again...
One night after prayer God told me,
"If hurt people, hurt people. Healed people, heal people."
That right there, blessed my whole soul!
Anywho, gentleness is defined as; the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.
Look here, kindness making a cameo, once again.
Questions
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Have you ever met someone who was infectiously gentle?
Have you yourself expressed gentleness to anyone?
Was your gentleness pure and without any shiny provocations?
How long ago has it been since you've been gentle with anyone for no reason whatsoever?
I'll let you ponder on this for a minute while I share a story.
A few weeks ago, one of my sister's in Christ unexpectedly lost her husband. Another sister in Christ reached out to me and asked if I would be so kind to assist her in ushering in the presence of God at the homegoing through song. I'd planned to pay my respects anyway so accepting this request would allow me to pay even more respect.
Now, I'm not a funeral person. I don't know anyone who is for that matter. I've served through the gift of song at a few over the years and I must say, it's interesting to be used as God's comfort for the mourners.
Somber, yet fulfilling.
The day of the service, me and my sisters were placed at the beginning of the program, so we were seated on the stage near the choir stand. To my surprise there was a little girl sitting up there too. She had to be about five or six years old.
I was told she was the organist's daughter.
Well, me and this weetot shared seats. At first she would stare at me as if I were an alien that'd not too long ago escaped from Area 51.
I'd shared some gum with one of my of sisters and gave her a piece as well. And I guess this small kind gesture dissolved my mystery and strangeness because after that, the baby would find ways to get my attention.
Her nose started running and she asked if I had tissue. Thank God I did! She took one of my faux locs and intertwined it with one of her beaded braids. Then she took my hand and held it until it was time for us to go up and minister to the people.
Weetots showing up around me tend to remind me of how butterflies appear at the brink of spring.
A little while into the service after we'd ministered, the little girl whispered in my ear and told me she needed to use the bathroom. I let her father know and he gave me permission to take her. As we were coming out of the bathroom and walking back into the sanctuary she said she was hungry and wanted food. I assured her that the service was almost over and that she'd be eating afterwards.
I smirked to myself thinking that if I'd had any snacks tucked in my bag, I would have given it to her. And I'm pretty sure she would have eaten it. I wouldn't have mind it at all. Till this day, I don't remember if I caught her name. I'd never met that child until then. But nothing in me wanted to treat her harshly or to shew her away since I didn't know her. I honestly didn't know no other way to be but tender and kind to a child that was not mine.
Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
I share this account in my life because, I wanted to simply illustrate how we can potentially adopt a similar attitude toward the children of God. Not just weetots, but full grown adults.
Put your 3D glasses on so you can see this!
People make the world go round as the old group The Stylistics sang.
Every rip you're going to run into some people. There will be times that you may have something that they need. It will require a little shape shifting in order to accommodate the need and more than likely an expression of gentleness will play a major part in these transactions.
If you're one of those people whom are stuck on titles and offices and functions, and think you're too good to help someone in need that can't return the favor, you will find it a struggle to practice the fruit of gentleness.
If you see people as objects or stupid sheep, you will find it a struggle to practice the fruit of gentleness.
If you're one of those people who like handing out harsh verdicts and sentencing people to hell whom don't sin like you, you will find it a struggle to practice the fruit of gentleness.
If your modus operandi is to show favor to only those who move like you, talk like you, look like you, you will find it a struggle to practice the fruit of gentleness.
If you've been on the look out for the Loch Ness monster that offended you more than 40 days and 40 nights ago, you will find it a struggle to practice the fruit of gentleness.
I'm not saying these things to beat anybody up. I just want to make it clear, that the fruit of gentleness is activated where there is no self righteousness, judgements, favoritism, or bitterness/offense.
Because it's a derivative of love, and love does not operate in any of these realms.
Keep your 3D glasses on please!
If you were blessed in abundance would you share with those you know AND with those you don't know?
If one of your siblings in Christ had a runny nose in the spirit would you blast them or discreetly give them something to clean themselves?
If one of your siblings in Christ needed to relieve themselves, would you ask their Father, your Father, OUR Father who art in heaven, permission to cover them, protect them, and guide them to a place to do so?
If your brother or sister in Christ was hungry or in need would you feed them and or assist them instead of hoarding what you have?
Listen to me, it's a lot of God's children out here that are fragile. Some have been stripped so they're naked and vulnerable. Many have been orphaned or dropped and abandoned. They do not have time for nobody's heavy hands!
I'm disheartened because, there have been too many accounts of hurricanes of horror in the form of believers who haven't operated in the fruit of gentleness at all and have left many of God's children displaced!
They are currently living in FEMA camps. Makeshift caves of fear, estrangement, misery, and anger.
WE GOT TO DO BETTER!
There is no way in hell OR heaven, that there should be a trending hashtag called
CHURCH HURT!
No one should have receipts of being violated, abused, and mishandled in the place where they were seeking refuge.
There's one thing to make a mistake as a believer, even overextend your reach at times since none of us are perfect, but to deliberately rip people to shreds and leave them desolate and confused IS A NO NO!
Also there's no one who should be operating in any kind of gift and not consider the GIFT of reconciliation. If you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you BUT reconcile,
HOUSTON...WE...HAVE...A...PROBLEM!
If you're reading this and think that I'm angry, I'll tell you I AM NOT!
I'm grieved.
I'm saddened by the condition and blasphemous antics of God's bride.
It's like she's suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy. A psychological disorder where caregivers perpetrates illnesses and/or inflicts injuries upon those whom they are in care of, to get attention.
In this case, this type of attention that's coming back, is not a good look for the church.
It's maddening!
It should not be this way.
You can miss me with the, " the church is not perfect." It's an excuse that if we continue to use we will neglect any and all opportunities for the bride's gown to be taken to the cleaners! Because right now it's more soiled than a little bit!
Believe it or not, this my friends, was the premise of Apostle Paul's letters to the Galatians. They were moving under a stank gospel. So he had to check them.
I do not in no way, place myself in the shoes of Apostle Paul. I wear a size 5 and 1/2 in men's. I'm quite certain I wouldn't be able to fit his shoes if I wanted to.
But if I were one of those passionate prophets from the bible days, I'd be rending my garments right now!
But that's neither here nor there.
I am a worm.
I'm a nobody, basically contending for a change in the Church at large.
We have to change.
Lest we continue to perpetuate these egregious acts and intolerable fruitlessness.
Shall we be included in the generation of the Church that God has to let die off?
(*insert random flying tumbleweed here_____*)
If your soul is barking at me right now, get over here and WOOSAH!
Just be quiet for a moment until you're humbled enough to ask God to
change you.
THIS!!! THIS was GOOD to ME!!!! Amen and amen!!!
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