I was driving home late last night, at about midnight. As is my custom, I was talking to myself. (Yes, I am weird like that.)
I was busy thinking about the Fruit of the Spirit, because I am planning a lesson series on it in my small group. Stay tuned, I might post some of it here if you are good.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law – Galatians 5:22-24
As I was driving, I was considering how one goes about exhibiting and growing the fruit in your own life. I was thinking about what love really means, and goodness, and kindness.
Then as I drove down a dark and abandoned road, I saw someone in a bakkie coming around the corner with their hazard lights on. (You would probably know a bakkie as a pick-up truck or utility vehicle.)
The driver pulled off to the side of the road, and stopped their vehicle. It appeared that they were having difficulty.
I suppose I should have pulled over to see whether they needed help. But it was a dark and uninhabited area, and it was not safe. My country is riddled with crime, and it is one of the first things you learn… never get our of your car at night. Especially if you are alone.
So I slowed down, but I could not see if the driver was in trouble or not, so I drove on. Sometimes hijackers and robbers use “break-downs” as decoys to lure people in. So I carried on home.
It got me thinking though. The loving, kind and good thing would be to stop and help someone in need. Sort of like the Good Samaritan in the story. But what about when it is dangerous to you? I don’t mind risking my life to help someone, but deliberately doing something stupid when it might be a trap is another thing.
Isn’t it?
What are we supposed to do as Christians? What Would Jesus Do?
Is it goodness to stop for every person, or just stupidity?
What do you think?
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Very interesting thought. In past, you wouldn't think twice to help. But now...? It's just too dangerous to risk it.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the trick is that if I was living a life with fully developed fruit, I would have such closeness to God that His Spirit would guide me.
ReplyDeleteWell, the fruit of the Spirit is just that-fruit! A fruit tree does not consciouly have to think about bearing fruit, it does it because it's a fruit tree. It's what in the fruit tree that determines what it bears. So to me, the fruit of the Spirit is not something we do, it's something we do as a result of what we are. It's the work of the Spirit in us that causes those things to be evident in our lives which in turn identifies who we belong to. I said all that to say this...the fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the Spirit in us. The Spirit is ALL wisdom and knowledge so if you were supposed to stop, the Spirit would have prompted you to do it and you could have done it the full confidence that He would keep you safe. Compassion does not mean that wisdom or caution is not present.
ReplyDeleteI would have passed. Jesus was able to look at people and know their hearts. I can't.
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