People my age start saying that. "I've reached the age I can say whatever I want to say. I don't care what people think anymore!" I can't tell you the number of times I've heard people say that. And it's so tempting. It's tempting to let go of all inhibitions and just zap the world with my thoughts and feelings. The older we get, we get comfortable. Comfortable with ourselves...comfortable with wanting what we want...and not caring the heck what others think.
But I have to ask....is that what the fruit of the Spirit produces? Galatians 5:22-23 says, " But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]."
I especially like the Amplified version of this verse and the amplification of self-control: self-restraint, continence. Dictionary.com describes continence as the ability to voluntarily control urinary and fecal discharge. Maybe the Holy Spirit wants to control the discharge of our mouths!
And of course...the love chapter exhorts us to be kind and bear up under anything and to not be rude or insist on its own way.
I'd like to encourage people my age. Instead of getting way too comfortable and letting our tongues fly loose, let's cinch up those thoughts instead and let the Holy Spirit produce some good fruit. Let's walk in life, encouragement, and love!
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1 comment:
Thank you! You are so right, no matter what age we are, the truth of God's word still applies. I had a time in my life that a person close to me wore those words as a badge of honor--"I just say what I think." Oh, it was hurtful. Oh, Father, "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips".
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