Politeness

            The great French general of World War I, Marshal Foch, was visiting Great Britain when he was cornered by a boorish Englishman who launched into a tirade against French politeness.

            “There is nothing in it but wind,” he sneered.

            “There is nothing but wind in a tire,” Foch politely replied, “but it makes riding in a car very smooth and pleasant.”

            We as Christians should be known for our politeness. This is one of the undergirding themes of Proverbs, and is certainly a virtue that reflects the fruit of the Spirit.

Source: Edmund Fuller

Don’t Take Off Your Clothes!

            Col. 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

            Any of you old timers, like me, remember the streaking craze? Dianne Neal Matthews wrote something, a couple of years ago, which reminded me of it.

            During the spring of 1974, college students around the nation, as a prank, began shedding their clothes and running naked in public locales. It was a fad. (A streaker even crashed the Academy Awards and ran across the stage.)

            I wonder if we, Christians, ever look like spiritual “streakers” to the beings in heaven. It seems easy for us to shed our spiritual clothes of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

            Unfortunately, this is not prank. Let’s not take off our spiritual clothes—received from Jesus.

Shining Clear Through

TMAS 092110… Shining Clear Through

Tony Tucker, the youth minister at my old, hometown church, wrote an article in his bulletin the other day in which he told about a little girl, who was confused by her preacher's sermon. Her mother asked her what confused her. And the girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”

“Yes, that's true,” the mother replied.

“The preacher also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?” The little girl asked.

Again the mother replied, “Yes.”

“Well,” said the girl, “if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn't he show through?”

From the mouth of babes.

Paul writes in Galatians five that God's spirit lives within us. Consequently Paul says the qualities of God should show through.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23a.)

A Noble Stop

A few years ago, I read a letter written to the editor of my hometown paper. Signed by Sandy Wills, the letter moved me greatly:

"To the Editor:

"It was cold and misty and I was driving from work from Mount Vernon. About where Hwy. 21 intersects with SH 37, there was a small boy standing on the shoulder of the road. He had a sad look on his face.

"In the middle of the road lay a dog that looked like a poodle. He appeared to be dead. A big man was gently picking the dog up off the highway while wrapping the dog in his coat. The little boy then pointed to where the man should take the dog.

"I thought as I was driving home, what a random act of kindness it was for the man to stop and help the little boy. The world would be a better place if we all slowed down in our hectic lives and took a moment to be kind to someone in need.

"There's a phrase that says, 'Kindness is something the deaf can hear and the blind can see.' We all need it at 1 time or another."

"To the man who stopped thank you. You made my day."

That man made my day, too. Paul tells me in Galatians five that kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. Nothing demonstrates the character than the demonstration of kindness.