Tag: Patience

MODELING FOR CHRIST

~ Sowmya Gali

2 Peter 1: 5-7

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

Most of us are familiar with long-legged, beautiful models with chiseled faces and fit bodies walking the runway at a fashion show. They walk a certain way called catwalk, strutting, and sometimes gliding based on the theme of the designs being displayed. They showcase the various creations of a designer. These models show the final creations of the designer, who then walks on to the stage to receive a roaring applause from the audience.

When we have accepted Jesus into our hearts, we receive a robe of righteousness. We tend to change gradually in our daily walk in faith. By adorning ourselves with this righteousness raiment, we are on full display to the world of our Creator’s fashion: the way He fashions us into His Son’s character. Does that mean that we won’t sin or revert to our old ways? Not a chance that we can walk upright the moment we accept Lord Jesus. We are refined daily if we allow the Holy Spirit to work His way in us. We must accept the fact that we have been bought with a price. Christ paid the price for us on the cross. Galatians 5: 24-26 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. We need a daily renewal of our minds so that eventually the character of Christ will be fully displayed for the world to see. Intentionally, we must cast aside our old sinful nature, if we desire to be transformed into Christ’s likeness.

Dearly beloved, our life on this planet is the runway. We are on full display for the hosts of heaven. We, as believers in Christ Jesus are given robes of righteousness, by our Master Creator. We are supposed to carry those robes in truth and grace, and walk life’s runway displaying our Creator’s creativity. Just as the models don’t wear previous year’s creations, we must cast aside our old nature and put on the new garments of humility, gentleness, and holiness to display our Creator’s character. Ephesians 4: 22-24… that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

How then shall we live? What steps do we take to be transformed? How do we know that we are transformed? Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians urges believers to walk the walk and live the life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice. We must be humble, truthful, loving and persevere in maintaining peace amongst people. Ephesians 4: 1-3 Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. In addition, he pleads that we lay aside our old self and its evil practices. By doing so we are constantly being transformed into Christ’s likeness. Colossians 3: 8-10 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge to the image of the One who created him…

Paul further asks us to set our minds on things above and not on the things that are of this world (Colossians 3: 2). He advises us to behold whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and of good repute, and praise worthy. We must learn to steer our minds to dwell on such things so that we are continually transformed (Philippians 4: 8-9). When our minds are Kingdom-oriented, then we will start to live like Christ (Colossians 3: 12-14). Now that we are chosen of God, all our thoughts, actions, and words will eventually be on full display for the world to see. We will boldly showcase God’s creativity to the entire earth and to the whole host of the heavens. Entire creation will roar in applause in giving praise and glory to Almighty God.

Finally, we must remember whose we are and who we are. 1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. The runway models sometimes trip and fall if they cannot manage to carry their garments the way they are supposed to. We as believers too stumble in our walk if we are distracted by the snares of the worldly temptations. 2 Peter 2: 10 says that we be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. Let us then live like children of light, being diligent in following His precepts and persevering in our walk of faith despite perilous times. In doing so, we will never stumble.

Multi-fold Bounty

~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 13: 8

And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

Mark 4: 8

Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

When narrating the Parable of the Sower, Jesus Christ saved the best for the last: the seed that fell on the good soil. He likens the seed that fell into good soil to a man who hears the Word of God, understands it, bears fruit and brings forth a bountiful harvest (Matthew 13: 23). In all the three Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus mentions that a man who hears His words, understands them and practices them is the one who bears fruit resulting in a multi-fold harvest.

As an amateur gardener, I’ve noticed that if a seed has all the right conditions when it is sown, then it grows exactly as I’ve anticipated. Ensuring a nutrient rich soil, well drained soil and optimum temperature, enables a seed to grow well and thrive. I’ve experimented with certain variety of seeds, trying to grow them in the wrong season but still providing the right nutrients. Despite my best efforts, seeds didn’t sprout in off season. Even if they sprouted, they didn’t grow well enough. God has ingrained in those seeds’ DNA when and how they must grow.

When God’s Word is firmly planted in our hearts, if the conditions are right, then the seed does sprout, grow and thrive. When we receive the Word, how we deal with it matters the most. If it isn’t received well, if the right conditions are not provided and if the necessary nutrients are not supplied, then, the chance of the seed surviving in our hearts are slim to none. However, if our hearts are receptive to the Word when we hear, then it does sprout and grow.

When we receive the Word, understand and thrive, then we are bound to bear fruit. Jesus likens our lives to fruit bearing plants. Not just bearing but bringing forth a bountiful harvest. It is interesting to note that Jesus in the Matthew’s Gospel talks of the harvest in a descending order while in the Mark’s Gospel in the ascending order.

Matthew’s Gospel: hundred-fold, sixty-fold and thirty-fold

Mark’s Gospel: thirty-fold, sixty-fold and hundred-fold

In nature, we witness plants/crops bringing forth initially more and slowly the harvest dwindles down as the growing season draws to a close. At the same time, some plants/crops initially bear little but as the season is winding down, they put forth a bountiful harvest. Either way, there is a bountiful harvest.

How are our lives? Has the seed that was sown in our hearts received the right conditions for growth? Have we been bearing fruit? Did we bear just enough fruit for the Kingdom or did our lives bring forth a bountiful harvest that our barns are spilling over? Plants, at the end of the growing season, tend to bolt, which means their main focus is to produce seeds. It is their survival tactic for the next season. Seeds if they fall to the ground, they remain hidden until the right conditions are prevalent. Did our lives touch others’ lives that through us the seeds of God’s Word sown in their hearts are also bearing bountiful harvests?

Just as Jesus promised, if His Word is sown in a good soil, we will have to bear fruit. Not just enough but a bounty that spills over. We, as believers of Christ, must ensure that we provide the right conditions for the seed to grow, which means, that we must be in the Word constantly, drawing the nutrients from God. The more we draw from Him, the more we bear fruit.

Dear beloved, hope this series of articles on the Parable of Sower has inspired you to be rooted in the Word of God. No matter our circumstances, our lives bear witness if we are being fruitful or not. As my pastor gently reminds us on a regular basis, we must be fruit inspectors. First inspect fruit that we are bearing and then inspect fruit of others. As we continue to thrive in His Kingdom, may we constantly be nourished by the Living Word, may we firmly be planted by the Living Waters so that irrespective of the season, we will be evergreen fruit-bearing trees for His Kingdom and for His glory!