Fellow ambassadors for Christ, be His peace.

The Chinese, in Mandarin, have two main words for peace. The first, he ping, means the absence of war or what we might use to designate peaceful times politically. The second, ping an, means to be sheltered or calm, protected or safe, even if there is danger lurking outside the door or the storms of life are thundering around us.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22). When we abide in Christ, we will naturally produce the fruit of peace. We will BE His peace, exemplified to the world in both senses of the Chinese words.

First, we are called to be people of peace and to pray for peace. I am cognizant, as I write this on a Memorial Day weekend, that many have sacrificed their lives to defend other people and moral beliefs or causes they held to be true. I also understand there are such real things as righteous anger and the theory of just warfare. But fundamentally and in daily life, Scripture points followers of Christ to give our responses with a more gentle touch, to turn the other cheek, to not seek revenge, and to promote peace and goodness in the communities where He plants us. We may find ourselves being asked to lift a weapon in times of battle, but our hearts should long for peace, and we should aim to promote peace in our responses to and attitudes toward others.

Second, only the peace of Jesus will give us a centering calm when circumstances of life could seek to wear down our faith and our hope. The storm that Jesus stilled from the boat on the sea was allowed to exist for a purpose….perhaps more than one purpose. And the ultimate purpose was so that He would receive glory. A big chunk of that glory playing out in His disciples’ lives then and in our lives now = how we may struggle with trusting Him for a short time, but when we see or remember how great He is, our sense of trust is grounded and our peace shines through all the more — even if the storm nearby still rages on.

And so, let us abide continually and pray faithfully, that we might promote peace, be at peace, and walk in peace. And His peace…not as the world gives (John 14:27).

Cling to the vine, look to the Son, draw from the source. Be who you are, dear ones. Exude peace.

My fellow Christians, be joy.

When the Spirit of God dwells in us and we bear His fruit, we are to bear the fruit of joy. We are to bear the fruit…and we are to be the fruit. In another passage, Paul admonishes us to “be joyful always.” But when he lists the fruit in Galatians 5, he simply starts the list as “…love, joy, peace…” — and it struck me today how that means when we bear fruit by abiding and being filled, we ARE the joy.

It also struck me today that joy is listed after love and before peace. True joy runs SO deep, much deeper than fluctuating happiness. And we find the beautiful joy which only Jesus gives flows out of knowing how richly we are loved and spills over as our abundance of peace. Additionally, the joy which we ARE in His name overflows to touch and bless others when they may be struggling.

A few days ago, while I was visiting a large city, I ended up sitting beside a complete stranger amid very crowded public transportation. I noticed something about her that made me take a chance and speak to her. She seemed a bit surprised when I did so, but after a pause, she smiled and immediately warmed up to me. Within a short span of time before she had to depart, she shared frankly about an honest life challenge — and I was able to remind her to continue to follow faithfully and make wise choices in the face of discouragement. As she moved away at her intended stop, her smile was appreciative and her eyes alight with the sweetness of genuine connection.

And my heart danced to have lived for a moment beside her. To be His goodness and joy to her.

My friends, grow in Him and receive what only He gives.

Then be who you are. Be His joy.

Children of God through Jesus, be the face of love.

Over the next 9 weeks, I would like to talk about each of the “fruit of the Spirit” which are listed in Galatians 5:22-23. And not just how we are to bear the fruit…but how it is to so own and define us that we are the fruit. After all when we are the branches connected to the Vine (John 15), we will naturally exude the fruit that is His face, that represents His life-giving essence in the world.

The first is love.

Christ represented the face of the Father’s love (1 John 4), and we are also called to represent the face of the perfect love found only in and through the Three-in-One God as we worship in Spirit and in truth.

That doesn’t mean that we should automatically be accepting of ongoing sin and celebrate poor choices made by others (and, yes, ourselves). And it doesn’t mean we will be spineless pansies who never feel appropriate righteous indignation.

To be the face of Christ’s love is to be overwhelmed with gratitude for the charity that we’ve been shown so that we might speak of and demonstrate a kindness that leads others to repentance. And it makes a light shine in our eyes over everything that displays God’s glory.

We must run daily to the arms of Christ so that His love will overflow from us as a result.

Be who you are, more and more. Be the face of love.

My fellow Christ-followers, we are delighted.

But what — or Who — are we called to be delighted in? Where does our mind’s focus swing around to? Where does our heart’s contentment most deeply grow?

I am designed to find my true and lasting delight (happiness, pleasure, reward, purpose and meaning) when my whole being is fixed on my Jesus the way a compass needle continues to balance back to the north, no matter how hard it is rocked.

And we are charged (in Phip. 4:8) to continually think on or delight in what is right, true, lovely, admirable, and excellent — things that reflect His goodness in the world.

Yet, many other things in this world will claim to offer us happiness and pleasure. And many other things will vie for our attention and concern.

But it is Jesus to whom we must cling. It is He to whom we must give our love. It is He in whom we must delight. What breaks His heart should rightly bring us sorrow, and what brings Him honor must be our foremost goal.

Both for His glory, and for our ultimate good.

Dear ones, be who you are. Be delighted.