Some symptoms are better than others
I have been thinking lately about the whole issue of symptoms. My wife and I were both sick in mid-March with symptoms that, at any other time, I would have simply attributed to a cold. But, not this time. I took temperature readings every 4-6 hours and continuously asked my wife a litany of questions to see if she was experiencing any of the known symptoms of COVID-19 (we didn't and it WAS just a cold.)
But, this blog post isn't about SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.
If anyone asks me if I am religious, if I'm a believer, what church I attend, or any number of other queries that might answer my "spiritual identity," I would answer that I am a Christian... a follower of Jesus Christ. The church I attend is very important to me... it is the fellowship of believers with whom my wife and I have been partnered since 1983. But, it is secondary to who I am. As a believer and follower of Christ, I know that the Holy Spirit "resides" in me as in other followers of Christ.
So, this brings me back to the title of this blog. If I Have It, I Hope I'm Symptomatic.
If I am a Christian, do I demonstrate any of the symptoms?
In addition to the commands from Jesus that we find in the Gospels, the 5th Chapter of the Book of Galatians provides a pretty good summary of what those "symptoms" should look like. The entire chapter reveals attributes that a believer should be living. But, there are two verses in particular, verses 22 and 23, that are simple yet powerful. These verses are typically described as defining the "fruits of the Spirit." The symptoms, if you will, of a person who is a Christ follower.
22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control..."
There are people walking around right now with the coronavirus inside of them... but you would have a hard time knowing it from observing them. There is very little that is noticeable from the outside... nothing that distinguishes them from all the other people walking around.
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control
I hope I'm symptomatic. I want what is inside of me to be manifested on the outside. And, as opposed to a virus, this is one thing I am eager to share with others.
This is an excellent piece. You should lost to you FB story to gain a wider audience. And yes, dear Mike, your "symptoms" are quite apparent!
ReplyDeleteThanks but I'm not sure how to post a blog link in a FB Story
ReplyDelete