Juicy Fruit - Beneath The Surface

Gentleness and Kindness might seem like obvious traits to operate in but there is something deeper in how God views these fruits. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. No matter how much we know about Jesus, it is not until we can look like Him, act like Him and be like Him that we will see them respond to Him through our lives. It is very common in our day and age to claim something and not live it but people are simply wanting us to live out what we are speaking about. The gentleness & kindness that we display in our relationships will truly determine how people view the love of God.Nothing the Lord does is accidental or unintentional so why does He ask us to walk in these attributes? God asks us to walk in meekness and humility (gentleness) and grace and integrity (kindness), because as a society we get so focused on having a right to do something but we need to be more concerned about doing what is right in the Lord's eyes. There are moments we think we have the right to be angry or the right to walk in our flesh but the bible encourages us to lay down our lives and pick up our crosses. 1) We can do the right things on paper but people discern if our hearts were joyful in the action. 2) If something is a part of our personalities, we have the power to change it. 3) Being kind and gentle will always give God all the glory. There is an aspect of living this life that God is calling us to give without expecting anything in return. The Fruit of the Spirit allows us to to live a life surrendered to the service of others, without manipulation or expectation. The world is often telling us that it's good to be nice but Jesus isn't just telling us to be nice to one another, He is asking us to ultimately love our enemy as an act of ultimate obedience to God. God has already paid the price for the broken people of this world, all He asks of us is to be a group of people that would tend to their wounds and help restore them back to who He calls them to be! Application: What are some ways that you can start to operate in gentleness and kindness in the relationships and human interactions you come across daily? Prayer: Father, I pray that I will be gentle and kind in all circumstances. I long to love on the broken people of this world as a service unto you. Break my heart for what breaks yours and allow me to be an open vessel of your love today!