How can we be more Christ-like? Brad encourages us to remember the characteristics of “the fruit of the Spirit”- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.
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Learning About Personalities
Have you heard the expression, “sugar wouldn’t melt in their mouth”? It means someone is so sweet, it’s as if they’re made of sugar. Of course,it’s an exaggeration, but like many exaggerations it serves to emphasize the point that the person being referenced is truly a very sweet, nice, kind, person. Wouldn’t it be great to have a lot more of those folks around? It goes without saying, we’re not all like that. We’ve been born with individual traits, qualities, attributes, and flaws that seem to be in place from the time of early childhood.
If I look back and compare the personalities of our two sons, they differed immensely, from the time they were babies. And we remind them from time to time, in a jovial way, of who the best baby was. Our first born from, from the get go, was wide eyed, inquisitive, full of energy, impatient, fussy, slept little. Our 2nd son, was very relaxed. Rarely fussed, content. A happy baby, a great sleeper. And we’ve seen their personalities take on many variances throughout the years, but those initial traits, strengths, or qualities, seem to form a core part of who our boys are.
What’s Your Personality?
Years ago, the company I was working for hired a group of relationship professionals to present a 3-day team building workshop. The facilitators mission was to identify and highlight the various personality traits within the group of employees, and present proven skillsets which would enable all to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. The goal was that each might work more productively in respect to the newfound recognition of clearly definable personality differences. Through a series of games and quizzes, and questionnaires, each person was identified with a major trait, and subsequent minor traits.
Everybody agreed, that the descriptive label for each person seemed accurate. Some were identified as A type. Action was the descriptive word. Rather aggressive individuals. Quick thinkers, fast movers. Folks of that nature prefer short, quipped sentences, with a “get to the point mentality” behind it all. They can be frustrated by traits displayed from other individuals who are of a passive nature, who speak slowly, who pause during long sentences, using an array of adjectives and descriptive nouns and colorful phrases throughout. Can you see the difference? Do you see yourself in either of those categories?
Where am I heading with all of this? We’ll it’s true we are born with an individualistic style, and our personalities are shaped throughout our early years…through personal development, through puberty into maturity and adulthood, as well as influences and situations that impact us. So, we can be defined as a type A or B, a C or D, or a combination somewhere in the middle. But regardless of our personalities and the way man views or groups them; as in all things, our standard is set by the one who created us.
The Fruit Of The Spirit
I believe that standard, (the ultimate set of traits that will suit us to the utmost) is found in the characteristics of the “fruit of the spirit”, found in Galatians 5: 22 & 23. “the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance…against such, there is no law”.
Every person on earth, whether saved or not, benefits from displaying these behavioral traits. We all like to be treated with kindness. The old saying goes, “you get more bees with honey”. Genuine sweetness is a wonderful thing to possess. Like the person we spoke of earlier, who is so sweet, sugar doesn’t melt in their mouth.
The Psalmist describes Gods word as being “sweeter than honeycomb”, and in God’s word, we see the fruit of the spirit points us to behavior that displays love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.
The unregenerate world doesn’t consider the immeasurable value that God calls out, to be the standard. So, that cranky person, that belligerent sort, the retaliatory co-worker; without Christ, they’ll undoubtedly continue displaying the personality they feel suits them and fits their needs.
How Can We Be More Christ Like?
As Christians, even if we see our personality, our self, as one who is naturally aggressive, impatient, quick tempered…we should remember; as always, the help we need is found in God’s word, to set us on a course to be more Christ like. It will serve us tremendously well, if we allow the flaws in our personality to be smoothed and tempered, by a willful assertion of demeanor set before us, in Galatians 5…the “fruit of the spirit”.
So, let’s examine ourselves, honestly and thoroughly, and be receptive to changing our ways, if that’s what’s required. The traits we demonstrate on the outside, reflect what is going on in the inside. Are we walking closely with God today? Oh, that we would desire to be filled, that our personalities would reflect those wonderful attributes set before us as our standard.
“Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Against such, there is no law.”
Brad Hewey
Brad offers up practical, scriptural advice from a perspective borne out of everyday life encounters. As we live and move and have our being…it’s the individual life lessons that most often present the greatest challenges, but can yield the richest blessings. We’ve all, as Christians had those faith affirming moments, where we’ve had an overwhelming sense of God’s spirit, or his very presence “at a particular but, maybe random time”.
Brad was born and still resides in a small community in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, where he and his wife Karen raised their 3 children. Brad & Karen fellowship at the Greenland Bible Chapel, where Brad serves as an elder. Brad loves meeting and engaging with people. His background in sales has provided opportunities to travel throughout the US and Canada, networking with people from all walks of life. Brad is a singer/songwriter, and has recorded 3 Christian albums. Songs from his “Brighter Day” release, have aired on Christian Radio stations across Canada and two of Brad’s albums are on HopeStreamRadio’s playlist.
You Might Enjoy These Posts About the Fruit of the Spirit
Learning About Our Spiritual Fruits
Spiritual Gifts, Skills and Talents – What’s Your Spiritual Gift or Ability?
You May Also Enjoy These Podcasts:
Crawford Paul – The Treasure of Heaven
Don Salmans – Living a Life That Counts
Gary McBride – Practice Peace
Greg Reader – An Unfamiliar Culture
Images Courtesy Of:
Dish- Unsplash
Brothers- sathyatripodi
Honey- Daria-Yakovleva
Fruit of the Spirit – Living Free Indeed
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