We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
2 Thessalonians 1:3
I'm not much of a farmer and I don't have a green thumb, but, I do know that if I put a seeds for tomatoes in the ground I should see tomatoes, not lettuce, grow in that spot. What about our faith, what should I see as a result of my faith?
Well, there are a few things that faith may produce and one of them is love. Paul speaks of the Thessalonians observable love as the expected result of their growing faith. This is not a warm fuzzy, romantic love, rather it is a selfless, giving love. The demonstration of their love was lived out in what was not the easiest circumstances to be loving in. The Thessalonians were living out their faith in the midst of persecutions and trials.
Sometimes God uses adverse circumstances to produce acts of faith that will bear eternal fruit. We are occasionally confronted with the choice to do something for someone else. That may "cost" us something we might like to have. It may be money, time or some thing we have. The Spirit of God will gently lead you in that moment to trust Him with the results.
A long time ago I used to take the Blue Line Metro Rail to work. Every morning in between the station and my work a man would be sweeping his steps and the sidewalk in front of his home. As soon as he saw me he would begin to cuss me out like you wouldn't believe! "You *@#$ing, #@$%*, I'll kick your @##$%ing @#$*..." He would continue yelling obscenities at me until I was at least out of earshot. One day I caught him just as he was looking up and I said, "Good morning, sir. How are you doing today?" He replied, "Good morning, how are you?" And every day after that he would say, "Good morning, how are you?" and I would reply, "Fine thanks, how are you?" Sometimes just being nice, which I believe is definitely godly, will produce the fruit of our faith.
Opportunities to act in faith happen every day, all day long. Whatever you do, do in faith that God will use it to bring his kingdom into other peoples lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment