“Don't be fooled. You can't
outsmart God. A man gathers a crop from what he plants. Some people plant to
please their sinful nature. From that nature they will harvest death. Others
plant to please the Holy Spirit. From the Spirit they will harvest eternal
life. Let us not become tired of
doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop if we don't give up.”
Galatians 6:7-9
What does it mean to plant to please the Holy Spirit? It
seems like we get caught up in a pile of “Dos and Don’ts” and never quite
figure it out. Recently I have had a glimpse into what I think it means…
I often refer to my dad in my writings, because I have been
blessed so much by him. And I am not alone. The cancer that has him looking at
the final stretch of his journey on earth, seems to have brought an endless
parade of people telling how their lives have been transformed by his
willingness to put self aside and allow the Spirit of God to freely live in
him. I am witnessing the beginning of dad reaping what he has sown.
By the standards of our society, it doesn’t appear that his
life has reaped much of a reward. He has virtually no assets. Doesn’t own a
home and never has. His last car was over 20 years old when he got it. Most all
of his clothing comes from Salvation Army, he draws no pension, lives on a
meager Social Security check and has a small amount in his savings account… in
case someone else needs something. Don’t
misunderstand. He has always been a hard worker and didn’t retire until he was
80, but he was never the type to store up treasures here on earth. After
meeting the needs of his wife and children, he gave unselfishly to anyone who
needed it.
Dad planted “to please the Holy Spirit” and
this is what grew within him… “the fruit
of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians
5:22-23. There is not a single one on that list
that isn’t manifested in my dad. It didn’t happen because he was determined to
exhibit those attributes. They simply grew out of a life that didn’t seek to
please himself, but to put self out of the way to make room for the Spirit to
inhabit his innermost being so that God could be seen, not Clarence Franklin,
for most of his 81 years.
As 2015 begins, make this year different.
Push away the desire to live to please self and live in a manner that makes
room for the Spirit of God to grow in those places where you have stepped
aside. Think you aren’t cut out for that kind of thing? Think again. We were
all created to thrive when we unite with the Spirit of God and we all struggle
when we try to live life to please ourselves… without making room for Him.
Someday, your children will reflect on your
life in the same way I have been with my dad. What a blessing it would be to
hear them report that they cannot identify you in any way other than one who
lived their life planting to please the Holy Spirit and reaping a harvest of
lives transformed by the fruit you bore.
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