“I’ve been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Justin’s tattoo is part of the original text for that verse and it reads “in me lives Christ.” A constant reminder. ❤️

My daughter ran into the room and snuggled up close. She lay quiet for a while, then asked a bunch of questions, and quieted again.       Then the Fruit of the Spirit song replayed over and over from her lips. 🎶
Such a beautiful start to the morning.

Because of her prompting, I got up with this thought on my mind:
How can I be the hands and feet of Jesus today?

When I really prayed about it, the answer was simple: serve.
Wherever you are, whatever position or title you hold, none is greater than Jesus. You are not above the call to serve.
But where? How? (I often ask myself this.)
Wherever you are. However He would.

My obedience to Jesus isn’t necessarily some grand gesture, monumental move, or perfect job switch. It’s serving who He puts in front of me, right where I am, the way He would.

Once I’ve taken that FIRST step of obedience, and put on Christ (Acts 2:37-38, Romans 6:1-4), I then have the privilege to serve others in His name.

But I cannot live like Jesus if don’t really know Him, and I cannot know Jesus if I don’t spend TIME with Him.

He is deep and full of lessons for me to glean from Him for my entire life. I can never learn ENOUGH about my Savior. Why do I act otherwise sometimes, neglecting Him for what serves me instead?

So I dig deeper, I press in, I abide with my Savior, and then I keep obeying. I keep serving. I live my life filled with the same Spirit He had, displaying compassion, mercy, boldness, courage, & truth.
I constantly evaluate and ask myself “When others see me, do they see the fruit of the Spirit in my life?” Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Not a checklist of behavior, but an overflow of God’s goodness to me that I then bestow on others!
That’s the point. That’s the mission. That’s the blessing we get to be a part of!
(Matt. 5:16-17, Titus 2:14, Ephesians 2:10, Col. 3:23-24, Rom. 12:1, Hebrews 9:14… I could go on and on!)

Let’s stir one another up today to love and good works.
Let’s point out when we see evidence of God’s goodness in someone’s life.
Let us walk on, confident in Truth, humble with Grace, and worthy of our calling to serve.

Let’s go be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”~Mark 10:45