Walking In The Spirit

Do you remember the bracelets embroidered with the abbreviation W.W.J.D.?

i hate to coin that apparel/accessory as a long ago “trend.” (insinuating that it’s out of date…no longer hip…out of style.) But let us retrograde to that place in time. (In memory, yes…but essentially, my higher hope is for a “comeback”) 

W.W.J.D. What a simple phrase/question that carries a lot of weight. i don’t know about you, but as long as i am living in this body, in this world, i am going to need that as a constant reminder! It’d be wise to have this visual placed back on my wrist to remind me “get out of your flesh, Kalynn;” wouldn’t you agree? So don’t bet your bottom dollar that i won’t be ordering me some. Amazon is only a click or three away! ;-]

i think Philippians 4:8 is a good place to start when we ask ourselves “What Would Jesus Do?”

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things.”

While this scripture, in context, is generally about obtaining God’s peace by a transformed renewal of the mind- can it not also be about peace between you and those you come in contact with on a day-to-day basis? How we communicate- whether by speech and/or body language, there must first be a place where it originates and it’d be wise to filter and weigh the effects before responding. What we hold in our heart and mind is revealed in what we say and do. Heart checks are not fun, but they are crucial if we want to build the body UP and also become spiritually mature ourselves.

As i have personally experienced the harm in reacting versus responding, i can indubitably say that before any action i have made, i never regretted sitting with Jesus beforehand. i do, however, wish, i could go back to the times i have hurt someone with what i said or what i did because i was reacting in my flesh…on my own accord.

When i say “sitting with Jesus,” that can literally mean getting alone with Him for a carved amount of time growing deeper in the knowledge of Him. But it can also occur within a few seconds.

Sitting with Jesus can look like a matter of all sorts of things:

-it’s asking for His perspective before your flesh wants you to fly off the handle to an offensive comment.

-it’s acknowledging His presence, asking for His eyes to see someone who would otherwise be overlooked.

- it’s asking for His heart to have compassion on an angry customer.

-it’s talking to Him, praying for His strength to do the seemingly “impossible.”

Our parents called it “think before you speak” and “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” The Bible is full of scripture about watching our tongue, and i mean TONS!

 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” -Proverbs 18:21

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.” –Proverbs 12:18

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” –Matthew 12:36&37

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” –Ephesians 4:29

Concerning the “Golden Rule,” Scripture says in Matthew 7, verse 12:

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also for them, for this is the Law of the Prophets.”

And going back to the way ours words reveal what is in our hearts…

Matthew 12:33-35 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.  You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”

So what’s the formula to walking in the Spirit?

i think it’s written in the story of Jesus. What He did; how He handled the brokenness in the world He was sent in to; how He dealt with the very temptation we also face today and still, He did not sin. We are not called to be perfect, but we are called to be made in His image. To clarify…Satan fell because he wanted to be like God. There is a difference in allowing Jesus to do a good work in us so that we are made more in more in His image, not with the sense of being like the Father. Polar opposites.

My encouragement is to read John chapter 15. Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth, and THE life. (John 14:6a). Abide in Him and you will bear much fruit. In our walk with the Lord, we will be pruned. At first it hurts. It looks like devastation; but in all actuality, it’s crucial to the nature of God. He is abundant in love and blessings. Every thing He does is good. He takes away to grow us stronger and to move us forward. Just like a plant, pruning helps the plant become more prosperous!! The more we grow in our walk, the more we will become familiar with His pruning. Therefore, our faith becomes stronger and our roots grow deeper! You will bear much fruit as you continue remaining in His presence...i don’t find it happenstance that the analogy in John 15 with fruit, is also is used in Galatians 5:22&23 describing the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

There are battles and deep wounds behind our sisters’ and brothers’ smiling faces; hurts that surpass our own struggles. Jesus doesn’t ask us to personally endure the same struggle before we show empathy and compassion towards others. It would be wise to ask Him to give us a heart for what breaks His. It’d be wise to be kind, always. It’d be wise to sit with Jesus before we behave in our flesh. You may not know it, but in just the smallest vulnerable state, Satan could use you as his tool. That sure does make me want to think twice before i say and/or do something!

If you have lived, you know pain. Don’t let it make you bitter; let it make you better. Every one is fighting a hard battle you may know nothing about. Do you want to help increase that pain or help decrease that pain? W.W.J.D.?

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”-Eph. 5:24-26

"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." -1 John 2:6

Let us extend the love and grace and forgiveness and mercy that our Father so abundantly pours onto us. Let us be His Hands and Feet.

In Him,

xoxo