Medicine has very sophisticated ways to monitor the physical well-being of patients – heart monitors next to blood pressure machines on top of attachments accessing the oxygen content of the blood. However these incredible machines give an incomplete picture to the measurement of what is important in a human life. My cousin commenting on my dying grandfather's ailing body, slowly wasting away, stated that as that happened he was better able to see the strength of my grandfather's soul. How? In what way?

A machine or gadget cannot monitor the soul. Rather my response to difficult situations reveals the condition of my soul. The presence of love, peace and contentment in the midst of trials are sure measures of my spiritual condition at that moment. On the other hand, anger, anxiety, resentment and pride reveals a soul anchored in me instead of Christ. When bumped, that with which I am filled spills out.

Paul prayed that we would be

…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ… (Philippians 1:11 NIV) 

Join me this week in observing what spills out of our souls when we are bumped.

 

 

Sharing the journey with you,

Bob Snyder