Beloved in the Lord, we are called to display gentleness.

The interlude between published posts this summer has found me in moments of gain and moments of loss, a new house and a damaging storm, injuries and sickness, welcoming in some friends and saying goodbye to others. All these things and more have continued to refine in me the fruit of God’s Spirit that I started writing about months ago. And now, today, I meditate on the second to the last.

There is no mistake in God’s Word, nor in the order of the words written throughout it. Saving gentleness and self-control for the end (of the long list in Galatians 5:22-23) was fitting. For it is only after we are matured by the Potter’s hand and the trials He allows that we are more fully motivated to cultivate these traits and more fully aware of the true strength displayed through their presence.

Earlier this month, I had another chance to attend the famous Iowa State Fair. It has become our tradition later in the day of attendance to visit the horse barn, walk the stall aisles, and rub the noses of whichever horses are in the mood for it.

My favorites are the huge draft horses like the one pictured above (photo credit: Denise Sasse). They are so strong, so powerful. But when properly cared for, trained, and harnessed, they are so gentle. It is an awe-inspiring thing to stand near one of those horses and have it tower over me (a taller-than-avergage woman) and look down into my eyes with shiny, calm eyes of its own while I stroke the side of its massive head. So still, so peaceful. If spooked, it could rear back and kick forward and injure or even kill me. But generally speaking, it has no intent to harm. And that strength, when pulling a wagon or plow, can be used to complete amazing feats of helpful labor.

With our own physical stength, we have the ability to wound or kill — or to help and heal. With our own tongues, we have the ability to defame, degrade, destroy — or to instill, enlighten, uplift. We have been given strength and ability by God to do each day. And we have a choice in how we will do.

In out fallen nature, left to our own devices, we will always be more of the reckless, unpredictable, untrainable horse when the stuff of life rushes in to meet us. But when we follow Jesus and dwell in His presence more consistently, the harness and bridle of trials will calm us so that we stand more peacefully and treat others with more of His goodness while the next wave rises up. And His strength will shine though when we act more like Him and react less wildly.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, choose the more gentle response or manner of delivery when presented the option. Be who you are. Be His gentleness in this world.

To all who follow Jesus, we are called to be faithful and a reflection of His faithfulness in this fickle, shifting world.

Of our good God, Psalm 36:5 says, “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the skies.” And of our Lord Jesus, 2 Timothy 2:12-13 concludes, “…if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.”

We are told to build our lives on the Rock and not on a sandy foundation, so easily eroded. We are told to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on the Perfecter of our faith, the One who never gave up in His darkest hour — and the One who has never (or will never) leave us in ours. We are told to cling tightly to the hope He places in our hearts: that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

When we dwell consistently on these commands and truths, the stuff of life does not roar quite so loudly. And we start to more rightly reflect this faithfulness in our daily relationships with other people. It should inform how we treat both our loved ones and the strangers we encounter. God has been so good and so faithful to us in Christ Jesus. We, therefore, with His grace and help, can demonstrate that goodness and faithfulness toward one more person, one more time, again, and today.

It is faithfulness in a sense of loyalty and dependability and trying again. And it is faith-fullness in hoping the best for another, praying for their growth, and providing them with a good example.

Dear friends, be who you are. Dwell in Him. And be His faithfulness.

My fellow travelers on Christ’s pilgrimage, be patience.

After the initial three fruit of the Spirit Paul lists, patience is next. It is the first of the attributes defining love in another letter (1 Cor 13), and it is the first in a set of following listed traits which are equally well-defined by their anti-examples.

What I mean is this. A patient person is a patient person no matter what, but the true measure of their patience stands out in more apparent and brilliant contrast when we see them responding as they do right next to someone who is rudely impatient and throwing a related fit. Similarly, the very kind person is a refreshment to my soul directly after my heart has been shredded. And the deeply gentle person quietly shines beside the brash and rough person.

Patience is not a natural state of the human psyche. Some people may be more comfortable with a sanguine response to the stuff of life, but we have to learn how to be patient. Good parents, grandparents, teachers, and other role models can help with that in our formative years. Yet, in the end, it is like a musical or artistic skill. It must be continuously cultivated through practice and opportunities to perform whenever they may arise.

And in the end, looking at great examples of patience inspires us to be more patient too. In days gone by, we would often hear someone say, “So and so has the patience of a saint.” But we, as saints bound for Heaven, are all to have more and more of the patience modeled by our Jesus. We are to be His patience here on earth.

We are to be His patience as a display of controlled anger and selfish desires, for patience resides in an increasingly-content heart. We must trust that He ultimately has everything under control, so we don’t need to get worked up about it.

And we are to be His patience as a display of mercy. In another New Testament letter, Peter talked about how the Lord is not slow in expressing His just wrath and delaying his second coming. Rather, He is patient and merciful, giving those who yet live a little more time to repent and turn to Him. Therefore, we should also be patient in our love for others and our ongoing prayer for them, that they may seek and know Christ and grow in His light.

For He was, and still is, patient with us. And when we really remember that fact, it will often drain the bluster of our impatience.

Dear ones in Christ, be who you are. Be His patience. The world desperately needs it.

(Photo credit above: page from a speech manuscript, penned by George Washington, displayed at the NY Public Library.)

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.

Loved ones in Christ, we are abounding with thanksgiving.

Or we should be, and increasingly so.

Yesterday, in neighboring communities around me, multiple tornadoes and hailstorms hit with unsurprising unpredictableness. For those who live in areas where tornadoes frequently occur, we know that when the sirens go off (and the environment grows strangely and suddenly quiet), it is wise to take shelter quickly. Because the conditions are ripe in a wide span, but the actual formation can occur and strike anywhere within. And the thing may lift an object or person and set them back down rather unscathed. Or it may impale one object with another in a split second.

It all passed my husband and I by — and passed by our loved ones as well. And we were thankful.

But many homes, churches, and businesses were moderately damaged — or blown apart. And many people, even some whole towns, are now in great need.

This morning, in the impending lull (since more tornadoes, hail impacts, and other dangerous weather is very likely in the coming 24 hours), Paul and I ran to get groceries. I stepped into the ladies’ room and overheard a mom and her two young daughters speaking to an elderly woman while they were waiting in line. The older girl, who was perhaps five, was excited to share that they were at the store specifically to buy food supplies and gift cards for families who had lost their homes yesterday.

My immediate reaction was to smile and then to think silently to myself, “In hearts that see clearly, tragedy beckons charity to rise up and minister. And it is sweet.”

I hope and pray that if my home were suddenly destroyed by a natural disaster….or my loved ones were suddenly cut off from me by unforeseen events…that my heart would still be abounding in thankfulness. But the realistic part of my brain says that it is easier to say “thank you, God” when things turn out favorably in my mind versus if they don’t. And, frankly, it so often takes enduring scary and hard times to make us pause and question how much gratitude we own internally. It is far less often that we daily and genuinely practice the habit of counting our blessings and speaking thankfulness from the heart — especially when the things God wills are not what we would will if it were up to us.

But we are encouraged and even commanded in Scripture to abound or overflow with gratitude. It is to be ever-increasing in us, day by day, no matter our life circumstances, and no matter how easy or hard it may feel. God knows our very human feelings, but as the goodness of Christ sanctifies us in ever-greater measure, He helps us to move past our feelings to also remember all that He is and all that He gives. And this can fill us with thankfulness and joy. And, as in the case of the little girls at the store, generosity.

So let us remember today all He has saved us from — and for. And let us be who we are.

Be abounding with thanksgiving.