What We Learn Is How We Live

Kind thoughts are rarer than either kind words or deeds. They imply a great deal of thinking about others. This in itself is rare. But they also imply a great deal of thinking about others without the thoughts being criticisms. This is rarer still.  Frederick W. Faber

Have you ever thought about the things that you learn become how you live?  When we are children we learn from our parents, teachers, peers and friends.  Everyone around us during our formative years is teaching us the way we will live for the remainder of our life on earth.  The interactions we have with others shapes whom we will become later in life. 

I read a poem written by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. that talks about what children learn and I think it can also be applied to anyone.  I replaced “children” and “they” in the poem with “I” and "myself".  

If children (I) live with criticism, they (I) learn to condemn.

          If children (I) live with hostility, they (I) learn to fight.

If children (I) live with fear, they (I) learn to be apprehensive.

          If children (I) live with pity, they (I) learn to feel sorry for themselves (myself).

If children (I) live with ridicule, they (I) learn to feel shy.

          If children (I) live with jealousy, they (I) learn to feel envy.

If children (I) live with shame, they (I) learn to feel guilty.

If children (I) live with encouragement, they (I) learn confidence.

          If children (I) live with tolerance, they (I) learn patience.

If children (I) live with praise, they (I) learn appreciation.

          If children (I) live with acceptance, they (I) learn to love.

If children (I) live with approval, they (I) learn to like themselves (myself).

          If children (I) live with recognition, they (I) learn it is good to have a goal.

If children (I) live with sharing, they (I) learn generosity.

          If children (I) live with honesty, they (I) learn truthfulness.

If children (I) live with fairness, they (I) learn justice.

          If children (I) live with kindness and consideration, they (I) learn respect.

Do any of the above statements apply to you or your children?  We are living in a world where bullying has become the norm and hateful words become common in every day conversations.  It is hard to turn on the news without seeing someone stealing from another person or lying at every turn.  Change needs to happen within all of us if we are to become more like Christ. 

       

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want to walk in the Spirit.  Some of the behaviors I learned over the years come from my childhood and others from my adulthood.  If I am going to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit I will need to work on me.  I believe You will give me the strength to overcome the bad behavior in my life so that I can show others what it means to walk in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Give me Your power to overcome the bad and replace it with good. 

       

Scripture: Walking in the Spirit

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.  Galatians 5:16-26