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ÜOODNESS: This is doing the
r ight t hing because we discern right
and wrong by unders tanding the
true application of God's laws.
FAITHFULNESS: This is s tic king
with our commitments and respon–
sibilities to God, a mate or fellow–
man despite pressures to do other–
wise.
It
is knowing God is the
Author of faith . He st icks to his
promises if we do ou r part.
GENTLENESS: This is being aware
that ot l:ters have shortcomings and
sensitivities and using tact and con–
sideration in our basic approach to
them.
SELF-CONTROL: This means we
recogniz~
anything can be misused
or abused. And that there are sorne
things we mus t totally avoid
because God reveals in Scripture
they are wrong. Other t hings we are
permit ted to use, we use in modera–
t ion.
Note how
1
Corinthians, chap–
ter 13, describes the great mind
motivated a nd e mpowercd by
God's love: " Love suffers long and
is kind; love does not envy; love
does no t pararle itself, is no t
puffcd up; does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own [welfare
on ly], is not [easily] provo ked ,
thinks no cvil; does not rejoice in
iniquity, but rejoices in the truth ;
bears all th ings, bel ieves all things
[in God's Word], hopes all things,
endu res all things. Love never
fails" (verses 4-8, RAV).
Di ffic ult, But No t lmpossible
You may say, " l t's humanly impos–
s ible to be all t hat." lt 's true.
These qualities are not natural to
the human mind. They cannot be
perfected by human strength alone.
They are q ual ities of God's mind
and Spir it. They must be developed
over a lifetime. God is the Master
Potter. We are the clay if we will
yield and obey ( lsa. 64:8).
But there a re conditions before
God gives us his help and power to
develop a great mind. God gives his
Spirit to those who repent o f their
sinful attitudes and character and
are willing to obey him and be bap–
tized as God instructs (Acts 2:38,
5:32).
How We Bulld Gr eat Qua lities
God's Word, the Bible, is spiritua l
food in written form . We need
October 1983
God's Spirit to properly under–
stand, value and obey it.
God's Word and Spirit work
hand in hand . Together they lead
repentant minds in attitudes of
merey, forgiveness, forbearance,
patience and self-con tro l- atti–
tudes we need to properly control
ou r thinking and emotions under
trials and problems. God's Spirit
wi ll empower us to express alti–
tudes of respec t , concern and con–
sid erat ion for othe rs- including
those who try to abuse us.
But we must be diligent to do
mind we can be more patient with
fellow human beings who make mis–
takes or insult us. We want merey
and patience for our mistakes and
weaknesses. Love directs us to exer–
cise it toward others.
l f we lack wisdom to know how
to handle difficult or upsetting per–
sonal problems, we can ask God.
He promises the wisdom we need if
we seek to apply his !ove and trust
him to guide us ( Jas.
1:5-6).
Our Perfect Example
The most perfect man who ever
lived, Jesus Christ, faced
in one form or another
the trying si tuations and
t emptations we face in
our lives. He was tempted
in all points like we are
{Heb. 4 :15). " Who, when
He was reviled , did not
revile in return; when 1-le
su ffered, He did not
t hreaten, but
committed
Himself
to
H im who
judges righteously"
( 1
Pet. 2:21-23, RAV) .
Many respond with an impulsive
burst of rage or anger:
Christ set us the exam–
ple. He was filled with
dod's spiritual perspec–
tive a nd powe r. Christ
knew t he utter deception
the w hole world was
under. He was merciful to
" He can't do tha t to me! 1'11 show
him ...
!"
Then suddenly, a
nasty verbal exchange, or worse, a
serious accident
persons who si nn ed
against him because of
their spi ritual blindness.
or injury is genera ted.
our part. We must earnest ly seek
a nd be strengthened by God's
Spi r it t hrough daily humble
prayer. We must also drink in and
yield to God 's instruc tio ns in
Scriptu r e. W e then begin to
develop a totally di fferent attitude
and o u tlook on the world and
other human beings. We begin to
see them as God sees them in
their potential-even if they are
presently unconverted or are spir–
itual ly blind t o t h e ir wrong
ways.
Christ taught us when others
abuse, insult or mist reat us, " Pray
for those who spitefull y use you
and persecute you" ( Matt. 5:44,
RAV) .
What does that do?
lt
puts our
mind and motivation on concern for
the ultimate well -being of others. By
keeping this spiritual perspective in
This is how Christ was
able to suffer insults. This is why
he d id not Jet the mockings of the
gentil es a nd, fina lly, the cruel
scourging and crucifixion destroy
him emotionally and spiritually.
Just befare he died on the stake he
prayed, "Father, forgive them, for
t hey do not know what they do"
(Luke 23:34, RAV).
How unlike so many humans.
Millions are angry, bitte r o r
resentful persons. Many of them
don't unde rstand the real reasons
why. Many have tried to mentally
b lock out pas t s in!!, or deep hurts
and disappointments in life wi t h–
out reso lving them as God
instructs. They may be hurts from
t heir own mistakes or hur ts
caused by parents, friends, a mate
or
a
boss.
Such hur t persons are o ften
(Continued on page 44)
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