Never Change!

I was talking with my cousin last night and I somehow ended up sharing some fun memories of my wife in high school (very new and young girlfriend at the time…) when she would drive her dad’s vintage WWII Jeep to school.  She would pick up a couple of friends along the way and provide a ride for them as well.  In fact, they even got a picture in our senior high yearbook of them turning into the school parking lot one morning!  And as usual… Piper had a big smile on her face as she signaled for a left-hand turn!

When I think of Piper from our early days of acquaintance in high school and then through the ensuing forty-eight years, I have to say that in many important aspects… she NEVER changed.  She was the same fun-loving, encouraging and spiritually sensitive women as she had been from her school days and through adulthood… when days before she passed on to glory, she suddenly turned to me, broke free from the stupor of Alzheimer’s and with that familiar “I gottcha look” on her face, smiled at me and distinctly declared, “I love you!”  And then she turned away and the glassy look in her eyes returned.

If one were to ask me what it was that made her that way, I would… without a moment’s hesitation… state that it was because of who she was on the inside and of the good treasures of her heart that she continually contributed to throughout her 65 years on this planet.

My recent study on the Fruit of the Spirit led me to a verse of scripture that seems to perfectly summarize my wife.  When speaking to the multitudes who had gathered around Him, Jesus one day taught that,

“A good man (or woman) out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:35-37 EMTV)

I can honestly say of Piper, that it was out of the good treasure of her heart from whence bubbled forth the love, the joy, the peace, the comfort and the never-ending flow of encouraging words, that caused her to NEVER change throughout all the years of our life… encompassing all the good times as well as the more challenging ones.

As I was initially observing today’s verses through the context of the Fruit of the Spirit as Paul discussed in Galatians 5:22-23* I was more than a little surprised when I realized the subject of whom Jesus was teaching in Matthew 12:35-37… and it also caused me to look at the “FRUIT” from a differing viewpoint!

You see… you and I are the subject of whom Jesus was referring to!  Jesus bluntly told the people in the crowd in that day (many of whom were leaders in the Jewish religion) as well as to us in the here and now, that… “Your very words will be used as evidence against you, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.” (TPT)

Stated in plain English, Jesus is telling us that the words that we speak, are more about us and for our benefit than they are for the one’s we may be speaking to or about!  That, to me, makes me want to make sure that the words I choose to speak to or about someone else are not only truthful, helpful and encouraging… but also spoken out in love and with a humble heart… as well as at the right time and in the right place… and if spoken at all!

This truth also helps me to NOT get upset when I hear people with different political, moral, religious and/or personal viewpoints than I have… and especially with many of the blatant lies that I hear these folks speaking in criticism of what I hold fast in my heart as the truth of God and His Word.  For God’s Word tell us that the words that we speak… these folks as well as yours and mine will come back to haunt us because, “By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words you will be declared guilty." (God’s Word ©)

Up until my most recent study, I had always considered the Fruit of the Spirit to be characteristics or “various expressions”** of God’s love that would be expressed through me to others in need… but now I am learning that they can also be the “various expressions”** of God’s love that He will minister to me when I am in need… because of or through the words of love that I speak and allow to guide my daily activities of life!

Pretty cool wouldn’t you agree!

You know the more I think about Piper… and the more I remember of her… the more like her I want to be… because she always set her daily sights on being Christ-like in everything she did… as well as with every word she spoke.  Like I said, she NEVER CHANGED from when I first got to know her in eleventh grade English ‘til I said goodbye on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at around 5:30 in the morning. 

It always seemed right to me that she should “Go Home” to heaven on a Sunday morning.  Sunday was always one of her favorite days of the week and she got to start her first full week in her new digs celebrating in a heavenly church service!

Have a terrific week as we bask in our beautiful fall weather… and as you do… Keep speaking God’s best words… while EXPECTING His BEST for both those you speak to… as well as for yourself!

 

*Please refer to our last six blog post for a somewhat detailed examination of these verses at:  http://pjberruto.blogspot.com/

** See Galatians 5:22-23 in The Passion Translation