The Pink Flamingo :: The Fruits of the Spirit

Jesus said, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father." John 15:12-15

This evening’s discussion was about Absolom Jones, the first African-American Episcopal priest. I do suggest you read about his life, he was quite remarkable.   He went from slave to bishop.

The Gospel this evening hit a chord.   As you’ve probably discovered I am a baseball fan. There is something that struck me today with the Andy Pettitte – Roger Clemens scenario today.   They were friends, then this steroid thing gets in the way. (The Hill)   Pettitte, who everyone says is a very good Catholic and would never lie because he is so religious, basically rats out his “best friend”. There is something that has bothered me all day. First, I’ve been lied about by so called “good religious” people more than any other group. Why would you rat out your “friend” and destroy a magnificent career and reputation if there was any benefit of the doubt. Wouldn’t a true friend who was reputed to be a great religious person stand up for someone and maybe not do what Pettitte did?

The thing that truly disturbs me is the fact that we’ve lost things in our culture: honor, loyalty, and kindness. It seems to me if a person were truly a Christian they would want to practice these things. But our culture, our world seems to be one of – screw or be screwed. You get someone before they get you – and forget about the benefit of the doubt or innocent until proven guilty.

Just look at our GOP primary and the way certain people are acting. Let’s face it, things are vicious in the party of “family values” and “Born Again Christians”. There is this abject hatred of anyone who does not toe the party line, who does not kowtow to certain people and ideologies.   Conservatives are acting like liberals. If you don’t agree with a politician you keep denigrating them until you destroy them.

I constantly go back to my friend Lindsey and the horrible things that are said about him by the right. Let’s face it, Lindsey is the perfect VP choice. But because Rush, Makin, Ingraham, etc absolutely detest him, it’s not going to happen. (I may end up pushing this. Did I make a bet with someone back in 1994….? There is a disturbance in the Force….I seem to remember…)

When did it become acceptable to destroy someone who disagrees with you? Sorry but that’s not Christian. It’s not even civilized.

What happened to The Golden Rule?

Are you familiar with the Fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:19-23)

Galatians 5:19-23

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Fruit of the Spirit

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

This is how I judge people. I go back to the situation with Roger Clemens. If his friend were such a good “Christian” he would have said nothing, but practiced kindness. I also think of our far right conservatives. They have begun to exemplify the first group of character traits. I think the need to stop claiming to be “Born Again” and start working on their souls and their relationship with the Lord. I do – constantly.