God speaks through the simple things in life, and when we pause to listen, we are blessed.
Recently, I cleaned our fountain. It’s a dirty job, but when finished, it’s back in business, bubbling it’s water song. Eventually, debris will blow into the fountain, and once again, I’ll have to clean it.
I believe the Holy Spirit works in the similar way. There are times when I don’t know what to do, and I believe this is common to Christians. The scripture says the Spirit helps me to be obedient to God’s will by interceding for me.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27, NIV.)
There are times I struggle with obedience to Christ, because I allow “debris” to accumulate in my heart. I call this debris my “four A’s”: attitudes, anxieties, animosities, and archaeology (past hurts.) These things put distance between God and me, and I don’t want that. I yearn to bring my thoughts in line with God’s Word. This yearning comes from the Spirit, the only One who can change me in ways that will glorify Christ. Jesus spoke of this.
“On the last day, the climax of the holidays, Jesus shouted to the crowds, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me.’ (He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him; but the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet returned to his glory in heaven)” (John 7:37-39, TLB.)
The “four “A’s” can give rise to a fifth, arguments. Disagreements and arguments fill the air on almost any subject, and people can get mean to each other.
A popular adage says, “It’s better to be kind than to be right.” This statement is well meaning, and contains a grain of truth. I never won an argument by acting unkind, insulting, or cruel. As a nurse, countless times I’ve endured anger, insults, even combativeness, from my patients. All nurses encounter sick and suffering people not exhibiting their best, but the goal is to comfort and heal.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1, NIV.)
Still, I see no conflict between being right, and being kind. One is content, the other is presentation. To show love to someone with whom I disagree, I must also be truthful. For example, if a person with a fresh incision insists on going to a swim party because she doesn’t believe this could lead to an infection, I would be negligent to agree, or remain silent, just to avoid a disagreement. It would be cowardly and selfish of me to let her suffer the consequences, rather than I suffer the stress of verbal blowback.
As a Christian, I’m blessed with the fruits of the Spirit, and grow in spiritual maturity. I have a lot of growing yet to do, but I know the Spirit uses these “tools” to accomplish His purposes through me, to win the person, and glorify Christ, and not to claim a victory of words.
“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23.)
I pray for the Spirit’s guidance daily. When I was younger, before years as a Christian, and a nurse, it was easier for me to place truth and accuracy above kindness, but I’ve learned something.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Cor. 10:3-5, NASB.)
I want to exalt Christ in my life, a tool used by the Spirit to move hearts toward Christ’s redeeming grace.
It is obedience to Christ to speak with kindness and respect, but my words must include truth to show love. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, and without Christ, people perish.
Like the words from a Christian song, my hope is to “take my life and let it be a living prayer, my God, to Thee.”
Selah.