In chapter 3 of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life, the Insight Journal asks you to consider various scenarios when a situation would be ministry (seeking your best interest) versus when it would be manipulation (seeking my best interest). What do you think about this one?
Rachel sat in small group on Sunday morning musing over each couple around her. Who should she invite to come over for dinner on Saturday night? It had been a long time since she and Jake had invited anyone to come over because they had been working so diligently on remodeling their kitchen. What a chore that had been!
It was terribly obvious that the kitchen cabinets had seen better days. Her children had scratched and scarred them with a variety of toys. The laminate counter tops betrayed the many times that Rachel was less than proficient in the kitchen. The linoleum looked like it was a hundred years old! Sharpie markers added memorable graffiti! The stove still had those stupid coils and the drip pans were rusted. Rachel had imagined the pride she would feel if she could produce ice to serve with a cold drink without having to dig in the ice trays of the freezer! And finally, that opportunity could be realized!
Matt and Leah graciously hosted a party at their house last summer. It was a fun time as everyone gathered in the yard enjoying hotdogs and hamburgers. Each person brought their own lawn chairs and enjoyed the lightening bugs at twilight. The guys swapped grilling secrets and the ladies shared the latest escapades of their children. Even though the evening chill threatened to end the gathering, no one wanted to go home because the relaxation and camaraderie were so refreshing.
“Let’s invite Matt and Leah to come over for dinner on Saturday night,” Rachel proposed.
“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s do it,” Jake agreed.
Rachel bordered on having a panic attack all through the week as she prepared for Saturday’s company. She wanted every detail to be perfect. Not only did every thing have to be in its perfect place in the renovated kitchen, but the meal had to be perfect too! Sunday morning’s small group discussion would hopefully be all about Leah’s rave reviews of their time together. How exciting it would be if everyone wanted to come and see Rachel’s amazing new kitchen and enjoy the delicacies that she could now create! That stay-at-home-mom stigma would be erased forever!
So, what do you think? Was Rachel exhibiting the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness or was she manipulating?
Can you think of another example when kindness was counterfeited with manipulation? We’d love to hear your story. Send it to contact@desperatedependency.com.
Click here for a more complete elaboration on the topic of counterfeit kindness or visit WinePress Bookstore for a copy of Desperate Dependency: Finding Christ Relevant to Every Area of Life by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Christmas Manipulation
In a previous blog post (click here to be reminded) we elaborated on how we counterfeit the Holy Spirit’s fruit of kindness by using manipulation that results in anger. The recent Christmas season reminded us of an example of what this looks like.
Johnny loved to spend his time wishing in the toy catalogs at Christmas time. As soon as the first catalog appeared in the mailbox he began planning how to be the best little boy possible so that he could get everything on his Christmas wish list!! He would spend hours dreaming about the best Christmas presents, but when his mom asked him to take out the trash he would jump to the task! He was Johnny-on-the-spot when the dishwasher needed to be emptied and even swept the kitchen floor without being asked!! He made sure the dog always had enough water and the cat food bowl was always filled. He did everything he could to earn enough brownie points to get what he wanted for Christmas!
One Christmas Johnny had picked out the perfect bicycle. He pondered each color available. He considered the shape of each seat. He learned about the different kinds of brake systems and determined the best kind of gear shifter. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he tried to make sure everyone else knew too.
But, on Christmas morning there was no bike for Johnny under the tree!! He stomped and shouted so loudly that everyone came rushing to see what the tirade was all about! His fit of rage echoed through the family history for decades, even though the perfect bicycle was waiting outside the door all along.
Would you be willing to share a time when you noticed that someone counterfeited kindness with manipulation? Send your story to contact@desperatedependency.com.
Johnny loved to spend his time wishing in the toy catalogs at Christmas time. As soon as the first catalog appeared in the mailbox he began planning how to be the best little boy possible so that he could get everything on his Christmas wish list!! He would spend hours dreaming about the best Christmas presents, but when his mom asked him to take out the trash he would jump to the task! He was Johnny-on-the-spot when the dishwasher needed to be emptied and even swept the kitchen floor without being asked!! He made sure the dog always had enough water and the cat food bowl was always filled. He did everything he could to earn enough brownie points to get what he wanted for Christmas!
One Christmas Johnny had picked out the perfect bicycle. He pondered each color available. He considered the shape of each seat. He learned about the different kinds of brake systems and determined the best kind of gear shifter. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he tried to make sure everyone else knew too.
But, on Christmas morning there was no bike for Johnny under the tree!! He stomped and shouted so loudly that everyone came rushing to see what the tirade was all about! His fit of rage echoed through the family history for decades, even though the perfect bicycle was waiting outside the door all along.
Would you be willing to share a time when you noticed that someone counterfeited kindness with manipulation? Send your story to contact@desperatedependency.com.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Counterfeit Fruit Summary
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
This post concludes this series as we have been assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Our efforts to control our lives produce undesirable results. But still we attempt to counterfeit God’s design for our lives through our own efforts. With tenacity we persist in demanding that our way must work. And so we continue to counterfeit the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Deceived, we believe the fruit of the Spirit is merely the best side of humanity. If we try hard enough we can manufacture this fruit consistently in our lives. But living a life that is desperately dependent on Christ necessitates yielding to His Spirit’s movement as we cease endeavoring to produce our own fruit. We are incapable of producing His fruit on our own vines; we can only produce His fruit as we are grafted into His vine.
Too often our dishonesty is apparent when we pretend we are exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, when in actuality we are only displaying the counterfeit fruit of the flesh. When the culmination of the counterfeits becomes evident in our lives, our deception is unmasked. We create our own version of genuineness and attempt to convince those around us that we are virtuous. Without recognizing God’s absolute truth, we elevate our personal perspective as truth that should be upheld. By espousing statements such as “I honestly believe you should . . .” we promote our beliefs above God’s truth and deceive others. After all, we say, “I am being honest.” Although we may assert we are being honest, we pervert the virtue of honesty to be equivalent to God’s truth. Our so-called honesty is really a cover for being dishonest with God. We elevate our perception above God’s truth. Believing our own deception, we prevent movement toward God. Psalm 119:29 (NLT) acknowledges that we deceive ourselves:
“Keep me from lying to myself;
give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.”
As we understand God’s instructions more completely, we can destroy the power of the lies that keep us from desperately depending on God for our sufficiency. Free from the culminations of the counterfeits, we can experience the abundance of His authentic fruit.
We must realize that it is our attempts to be independent from God that are destroying our lives. God designed humanity to live in a relationship dependent on Him, but our desire is for God to empower life on our terms. God offers love, joy, peace, and patience, but we counterfeit His fruit by being self-centered, pleasure oriented, comfort seeking, and controlling. Our meager efforts culminate with emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration. We cannot have optimal fulfillment apart from what we were created to be: complete in Christ.
Consider:
What do I need to let go of so the Holy Spirit's fruit can be evidenced in my life?
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
This post concludes this series as we have been assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Our efforts to control our lives produce undesirable results. But still we attempt to counterfeit God’s design for our lives through our own efforts. With tenacity we persist in demanding that our way must work. And so we continue to counterfeit the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Deceived, we believe the fruit of the Spirit is merely the best side of humanity. If we try hard enough we can manufacture this fruit consistently in our lives. But living a life that is desperately dependent on Christ necessitates yielding to His Spirit’s movement as we cease endeavoring to produce our own fruit. We are incapable of producing His fruit on our own vines; we can only produce His fruit as we are grafted into His vine.
Too often our dishonesty is apparent when we pretend we are exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, when in actuality we are only displaying the counterfeit fruit of the flesh. When the culmination of the counterfeits becomes evident in our lives, our deception is unmasked. We create our own version of genuineness and attempt to convince those around us that we are virtuous. Without recognizing God’s absolute truth, we elevate our personal perspective as truth that should be upheld. By espousing statements such as “I honestly believe you should . . .” we promote our beliefs above God’s truth and deceive others. After all, we say, “I am being honest.” Although we may assert we are being honest, we pervert the virtue of honesty to be equivalent to God’s truth. Our so-called honesty is really a cover for being dishonest with God. We elevate our perception above God’s truth. Believing our own deception, we prevent movement toward God. Psalm 119:29 (NLT) acknowledges that we deceive ourselves:
“Keep me from lying to myself;
give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.”
As we understand God’s instructions more completely, we can destroy the power of the lies that keep us from desperately depending on God for our sufficiency. Free from the culminations of the counterfeits, we can experience the abundance of His authentic fruit.
We must realize that it is our attempts to be independent from God that are destroying our lives. God designed humanity to live in a relationship dependent on Him, but our desire is for God to empower life on our terms. God offers love, joy, peace, and patience, but we counterfeit His fruit by being self-centered, pleasure oriented, comfort seeking, and controlling. Our meager efforts culminate with emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration. We cannot have optimal fulfillment apart from what we were created to be: complete in Christ.
Consider:
What do I need to let go of so the Holy Spirit's fruit can be evidenced in my life?
Monday, January 9, 2012
Counterfeit Self-Control
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions? Are you trying to succeed with your own self-control, or are you allowing the Holy Spirit's fruit of self-control to pervade in your life?
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
In this current series of blog posts we are assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Self-Control > Self-Indulgence > Discouragement
The presence of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives offers us the fruit of self-control. Self-control is the fruit that enables us to deny self. This is not the ability to control ourselves, but it is the freedom from being controlled by the desires of the flesh. Through divine enablement we are empowered to say no to our personal desires. Here, we have been granted the divine ability to fulfill the will of God by saying yes to the desires of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16–17, 24).
Yet self-indulgence, as counterfeiting self-control, emphasizes the putting off of personal restraint and giving in to the desires of fleshly longings. Only when the desire is certainly more painful than it is potentially pleasurable does one say no. The flesh will barely refuse gratification when certain pain is obvious and the destructive consequences are seen as immediate, undeniable, and depriving pleasure. Hence there must be a discernible level of self-indulgence found in self-restraint before the flesh is willing to concede. Otherwise, we opt to give in to whatever is pleasurable and self-fulfilling.
It is accurate to proclaim that the crown and glory of all the fruit of the flesh is self-indulgence. It is the expected reward for having labored in the vineyard of self-centeredness. Happiness is the illusive prize.
Our interest in indulgence is proportionate to our self-centeredness. The more we are concerned with self-promotion and self-preservation, the more we yearn to be indulged. We say, in essence, “Because I want to be promoted, I want you to promote me. Without your efforts on my behalf, I feel I am being deprived of what is necessary to make me happy. I expect you to promote and serve my interest.”
The continuous pursuit of pleasure-producing indulgences culminates in discouragement. The eventual outcome of self-indulgence is discouragement because we want what we want, but our wants are never satisfied. Then we move to a new set of desires, believing these new choices will produce the ultimate fulfillment. This may even be labeled as a midlife crisis. Perhaps you did not have the family you wanted, the body shape and size you desired, the socioeconomic status you preferred, or your ideal job. Maybe you have been striving to make someone else happy, or you want him or her to make you happy. But you never settle in the place of contentment, and so you continue your search, only to end in despair and discouragement.
Discouragement embodies the loss of hope that we can promote and preserve self in a fashion that will produce the greatest fulfillment. Provoked by the inability to effect environmental changes to generate love, significance, and security, we continue with self-indulgence. Discouragement pervades over the fact that we have failed to create a platform powerful enough to make a difference in our lives that would sedate our emotional concerns or stimulate our ambitious yearnings.
Consider this example of a husband with three children who is unfaithful to his wife. He does not want to leave his wife, but he wants to have his girlfriend. He lies, deceives, and connives to keep one a secret and the other satisfied. It all comes to be exposed: “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23 NLT). The children come to hate their father. The father wants the kids to love him, he wants to continue with his wife, and he wants to keep his girlfriend. Instead, he loses everything he had and everything he hoped to gain.
“The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” (Deut. 6:4–5 NLT).
Ultimately there is nothing that can impart contentment apart from Christ. We flit from bloom to bloom looking for the nectar of life, but only God is able to provide true satisfaction. The spiritual fruit of self-control is experienced through dependence on the Spirit of God so we do not have to depend on ourselves. His divine enablement leads to personal empowerment. If you find yourself experiencing the symptom of discouragement, consider what means of self-indulgence you are employing to counterfeit God’s fruit of self-control.
As we submit to the Holy Spirit, we will see evidence of the Spirit’s fruit of self-control in our lives when we renounce self-indulgence that gives way to discouragement.
Insight Journal:
I remember a time in my life when I tried to pursue my own desires but ended up with discouragement even though I attained my goal. (Write the story.)
How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions? Are you trying to succeed with your own self-control, or are you allowing the Holy Spirit's fruit of self-control to pervade in your life?
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
In this current series of blog posts we are assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Self-Control > Self-Indulgence > Discouragement
The presence of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives offers us the fruit of self-control. Self-control is the fruit that enables us to deny self. This is not the ability to control ourselves, but it is the freedom from being controlled by the desires of the flesh. Through divine enablement we are empowered to say no to our personal desires. Here, we have been granted the divine ability to fulfill the will of God by saying yes to the desires of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16–17, 24).
Yet self-indulgence, as counterfeiting self-control, emphasizes the putting off of personal restraint and giving in to the desires of fleshly longings. Only when the desire is certainly more painful than it is potentially pleasurable does one say no. The flesh will barely refuse gratification when certain pain is obvious and the destructive consequences are seen as immediate, undeniable, and depriving pleasure. Hence there must be a discernible level of self-indulgence found in self-restraint before the flesh is willing to concede. Otherwise, we opt to give in to whatever is pleasurable and self-fulfilling.
It is accurate to proclaim that the crown and glory of all the fruit of the flesh is self-indulgence. It is the expected reward for having labored in the vineyard of self-centeredness. Happiness is the illusive prize.
Our interest in indulgence is proportionate to our self-centeredness. The more we are concerned with self-promotion and self-preservation, the more we yearn to be indulged. We say, in essence, “Because I want to be promoted, I want you to promote me. Without your efforts on my behalf, I feel I am being deprived of what is necessary to make me happy. I expect you to promote and serve my interest.”
The continuous pursuit of pleasure-producing indulgences culminates in discouragement. The eventual outcome of self-indulgence is discouragement because we want what we want, but our wants are never satisfied. Then we move to a new set of desires, believing these new choices will produce the ultimate fulfillment. This may even be labeled as a midlife crisis. Perhaps you did not have the family you wanted, the body shape and size you desired, the socioeconomic status you preferred, or your ideal job. Maybe you have been striving to make someone else happy, or you want him or her to make you happy. But you never settle in the place of contentment, and so you continue your search, only to end in despair and discouragement.
Discouragement embodies the loss of hope that we can promote and preserve self in a fashion that will produce the greatest fulfillment. Provoked by the inability to effect environmental changes to generate love, significance, and security, we continue with self-indulgence. Discouragement pervades over the fact that we have failed to create a platform powerful enough to make a difference in our lives that would sedate our emotional concerns or stimulate our ambitious yearnings.
Consider this example of a husband with three children who is unfaithful to his wife. He does not want to leave his wife, but he wants to have his girlfriend. He lies, deceives, and connives to keep one a secret and the other satisfied. It all comes to be exposed: “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23 NLT). The children come to hate their father. The father wants the kids to love him, he wants to continue with his wife, and he wants to keep his girlfriend. Instead, he loses everything he had and everything he hoped to gain.
“The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” (Deut. 6:4–5 NLT).
Ultimately there is nothing that can impart contentment apart from Christ. We flit from bloom to bloom looking for the nectar of life, but only God is able to provide true satisfaction. The spiritual fruit of self-control is experienced through dependence on the Spirit of God so we do not have to depend on ourselves. His divine enablement leads to personal empowerment. If you find yourself experiencing the symptom of discouragement, consider what means of self-indulgence you are employing to counterfeit God’s fruit of self-control.
As we submit to the Holy Spirit, we will see evidence of the Spirit’s fruit of self-control in our lives when we renounce self-indulgence that gives way to discouragement.
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Rom. 8:5–6 NLT).
Insight Journal:
I remember a time in my life when I tried to pursue my own desires but ended up with discouragement even though I attained my goal. (Write the story.)
Monday, January 2, 2012
Counterfeit Gentleness
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
Are you at risk of counterfeiting gentleness as you return your Christmas gifts?
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
In this current series of blog posts we are assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Gentleness > Selfish Ambition > Alienation
Gentleness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that enables us to reflect God’s grace to the world. Grace is God’s power to live that enables us to fulfill His will and be complete. The transforming presence of Christ establishes the order of our souls so we can convey God’s grace through gentleness. As God’s Spirit produces gentleness in our lives, He establishes our attitude, fashions our approach, and directs our actions with others. When we are blessed with the fruit of gentleness, His abundant supply must overflow into the lives of others. With humble selflessness we are compelled to transmit His power to live. We cannot be content with merely possessing the attitude of gentleness, but as representatives of God to others, we must display His fruit through our actions.
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13 NASB).
Without God’s grace, selfish ambition asserts, “I must be served”; “My way must be followed”; and “I am right.” Having control over life’s resources is seen as the priority and must be the object of life’s pursuit. Selfish ambition is not concerned with the welfare of others but with the power we have over our domain. It is through this perception of strength that we derive our sense of self-sufficiency. With continuous resolve we persist in our selfish ambition.
Our exhausted supply of resources leaves us alienated. Loneliness invades as our thwarted efforts become evident. The emptiness of our hearts tempts us to continue the vicious cycle of seeking God-substitutes to fill the void. With continued resolve we contrive another plan of employing people, positions, and possessions for our power to live. Eventually the futility of the endeavor becomes evident through social rejection, compromised health, and a lack of personal energy to pursue the pathological dream. Alienated souls now stand stranded beside the road they thought would take them to the place of completion.
“See, they are all foolish, worthless things.
All your idols are as empty as the wind” (Isa. 41:29 NLT).
If you find yourself experiencing the symptom of alienation, consider what means of selfish ambition you are employing to counterfeit God’s fruit of gentleness. We can exemplify the fruit of gentleness when we relinquish our selfish ambition and its resulting alienation. Enabled by the Spirit, I can reflect God’s grace.
“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25 NLT).
Insight Journal:
Describe a situation in which you used selfish ambition instead of relying on the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness. How would this situation be described differently if you were relying on the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness?
Are you at risk of counterfeiting gentleness as you return your Christmas gifts?
In Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) God assures us, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” if we “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:25 NLT). The fruit of the Spirit encompasses the distinctiveness of God. No human plantation can create a vineyard such as His. God is the divine husbandman. He plants the vine and prunes it precisely to produce the fruit He wants. This fruit completes His portrait so the watching world can see a glimpse of Christ through our lives.
In this current series of blog posts we are assessing the fruit God wishes to produce through His Spirit. But in our desire for independence we attempt to counterfeit God’s fruit with our own design. Desiring all He has for us but not willing to give all we are to Him, we endeavor to circumvent His plan by producing our fruit of the flesh. Our miserable efforts culminate in disastrous results: emptiness, futility, turmoil, and frustration to name a few. Obtaining an education as a fruit inspector will prepare us to distinguish between the authentic fruit of the Spirit and the counterfeit fruit of the flesh.
Gentleness > Selfish Ambition > Alienation
Gentleness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that enables us to reflect God’s grace to the world. Grace is God’s power to live that enables us to fulfill His will and be complete. The transforming presence of Christ establishes the order of our souls so we can convey God’s grace through gentleness. As God’s Spirit produces gentleness in our lives, He establishes our attitude, fashions our approach, and directs our actions with others. When we are blessed with the fruit of gentleness, His abundant supply must overflow into the lives of others. With humble selflessness we are compelled to transmit His power to live. We cannot be content with merely possessing the attitude of gentleness, but as representatives of God to others, we must display His fruit through our actions.
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13 NASB).
Without God’s grace, selfish ambition asserts, “I must be served”; “My way must be followed”; and “I am right.” Having control over life’s resources is seen as the priority and must be the object of life’s pursuit. Selfish ambition is not concerned with the welfare of others but with the power we have over our domain. It is through this perception of strength that we derive our sense of self-sufficiency. With continuous resolve we persist in our selfish ambition.
Our exhausted supply of resources leaves us alienated. Loneliness invades as our thwarted efforts become evident. The emptiness of our hearts tempts us to continue the vicious cycle of seeking God-substitutes to fill the void. With continued resolve we contrive another plan of employing people, positions, and possessions for our power to live. Eventually the futility of the endeavor becomes evident through social rejection, compromised health, and a lack of personal energy to pursue the pathological dream. Alienated souls now stand stranded beside the road they thought would take them to the place of completion.
“See, they are all foolish, worthless things.
All your idols are as empty as the wind” (Isa. 41:29 NLT).
If you find yourself experiencing the symptom of alienation, consider what means of selfish ambition you are employing to counterfeit God’s fruit of gentleness. We can exemplify the fruit of gentleness when we relinquish our selfish ambition and its resulting alienation. Enabled by the Spirit, I can reflect God’s grace.
“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25 NLT).
Insight Journal:
Describe a situation in which you used selfish ambition instead of relying on the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness. How would this situation be described differently if you were relying on the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness?
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