I have put some time, thought, and prayer into my resolution for 2008. I actually began doing a self-inventory about a month ago, looking for areas in my life where I am deficient, and I found more than a few. One place has stuck out to me since thinking through this and it is in the area of gentleness.
I want to be a gentle man. I don't mean I want to be a push-over or pusillanimous. I want to be gentle in the biblical sense of the word. I want to be strong yet not belligerent; I want to be firm yet not harsh; I want to be compassionate yet not wishy-washy. I want to be tender-hearted yet not weak-minded. In a word, in the way Jesus was gentle, I want to be gentle.
In no way do I want to be coarse, obtuse, or rude. I want to always be encouraging, kind, yet unwavering in my convictions. I want to be willing to learn, willing to be rebuked, willing to step back and examine myself. I want to be gentle.
I want my wife to have a gentle husband, my children to have a gentle father, the folks I serve to have a gentle pastor, and commenters on the blogs to have a gentle bloghost. I don't think that is an unreasonable goal for 2008.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22
To all my family and friends, Happy New Year. Have you made a resolution?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Bro. Tony,
You expressed very outstanding resolutions and be sure not to forget any one of them ! If you work real hard and follow Gods Directions you should accomplish them by late summer or at least by next year ?
I want to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year ?
I wrote the last sentence in a way that it want make you get started off in the right direction !
Blessings my friend and looking for some more good reading ?
Ron.
hey Ron,
Thanks brother, I appreciate that. I plan on following God as closely as I can this year, and it is already bringing about some surprising results that will be followed by some pretty big changes.
You are a great encouragement to me in the blogging and I am grateful to start the year out with you as a reader and commenter. God bless you brother!
Post a Comment