December 14, 2020
Written by Guest Writer, Joy Mathis Chadwick
One of my favorite things to do at Christmas time is going through my old recipe books, pulling out our family’s favorites to start the baking and cooking projects. Throughout the years I’ve made little notes on the recipes of what worked, what didn’t; who liked it, who didn’t; substitutions that worked and didn’t. There have been some epic failures, but it’s always been because I thought I could improvise on my own without using the directions. Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy!
God gives us the perfect recipe for our lives, and our lives could be so much more fulfilling if we’d only follow the directions! He’s summed it up quite nicely in ten simple directions to follow, and those directions are otherwise known as the Ten Commandments. They aren’t suggestions; they’re commandments, and they come with consequences if we stray from what He says.
The book of Galatians details some of the rewards or by-products of living a Christ-centered life; those rewards include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. That is the perfect recipe for a life well lived. The writer of the book of Galatians refers to these qualities as the fruit of the Spirit. Yes, it is easy to become discouraged, especially in the world we’re living in now, and there are times when we just simply feel like giving up. But the most important thing to remember in times of discouragement, times of not seeing the results we want of our walk with Jesus Christ, is that the very last thing to grow on a fruit tree is the fruit. So just hang on!
The main ingredient that God speaks of over and over is love. We can go through the motions of living a Godly life, but if we don’t have love in our hearts, we have missed the mark. The 13th chapter of the book of I Corinthians sums up our calling as a Christian. Do we measure up?
Christmas is not just a time for gift giving; it is the ultimate season of love. God sent us His son, that very baby who was born in the manger who we will celebrate this Christmas season. He gave us the absolute very best that He had. I can’t begin to imagine how we must break God’s heart when we stray from what He has asked us to do, considering the price He paid for our lives. Giving our lives back to God would be the ultimate of gifts that we could ever give. How can we show our love to others during this most special time of the year?
I Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
