"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Luke 3:8
John the Baptist didn't mince words, did he? Imagine the stream of people coming to him to be
baptized and his palms facing them as he shook his head saying, "No,
you're not ready for this. You're skipping the step that comes first:
Repentance!" Can't you hear the soldier speak up, asking what he must do?
John the Baptist explained that he was not to take money by force and to be
content with his wages. What? Same with
the tax-collectors who were notorious for overcharging and pocketing the excess
for themselves. It would be like a drug dealer or a prostitute getting an
honest job. What about a politician deciding to tell the truth or a child
molester getting help? That's what repentance looks like. It's a change of
direction, doing the opposite of what one was doing before.
What does your fruit of repentance look like?
Not engaging in your
addiction?
Stop flirting with a married man?
Showing favoritism?
Stop flirting with a married man?
Showing favoritism?
Watching what you
eat?
End an affair?
End an affair?
Stop running from
the truth…face it?
Loving that unlovely person at work or in the
family?
Biting that gossiping tongue?
Exercise?
Walking in
forgiveness toward yourself or someone else?
Not living in the past?
Sometimes it's not the repentance that's the
challenge but the repeating of it.
Repentance is an installment plan, not a lump
sum.
It's a good thing
God's mercies are new every morning
(Lamentations 3:22-23). He will
show up every day to greet your made up mind with strength to live the life of
repentance. His divine power has given
you everything you need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
"Sometimes it's not the repentance that's the challenge but the repeating of it" <--- this is the part that stuck out to me the most! Thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteSara, I think that is a challenge for most of us. It makes me thankful for grace!
ReplyDelete