Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.  Galatians 5:16-17

The quotation forms a part of the reading for the daily office of June 13, 2024.  I read several times over as I think that there must be some misunderstanding and there is a need for compromise. 

Paul writes to the Galatians as counter the teaching that the laws of Judaism should be kept by Christians. Paul seeks to explain that we are empowered by faith and the following Christ.

Friends, in what Paul goes on to describe as works of the flesh, as opposed to fruit of the spirit, has me baffled this morning.  Humans are both flesh and spirit. How do separate the two?. None of us is one or the other.  The works of the flesh, Paul says are fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. These are things we experience as humans from time to time.  What I do believe Paul wants us to understand is that we should be mindful that we are not extreme in what we do. – the fleshy desires, suggest that why we do these things is just as important as actually indulging in them.

For example,  When does feeling good about the kind of car you drive and taking good care of it become idolatry? Is being a neat freak idolatrous? Where does carousing begin and having good bellyfuls of laughter and  playing games with your friends stop? Paul suggests that these things are defined by the law. Yes, they are the dos and the don’ts, with respect to how we behave.  And these things are also subjective as each of us brings our own perspective. I like a good laugh where I can throw back my head, and sometimes the muscles in my belly contract and hurt from the intensity of the laugh. That kind of laugh is infectious.  Others laugh because you are laughing and they do not even know the joke.  we must really consider the why we are doing the things. That is what we need to question and are we being excessive?

 “A nuh every kin teet a laugh.”  The Jamaican proverb says. We very often we act out our internal hurt and pain in physical ways. I believe Paul was mindful of that.  Our behaviour should be guided by the good spirit within us. That we must choose not to be guided purely by instinct, or predisposition. It cannot be “a so me stay” or “a so the thing set.”

We must think before we act and not just give vent to the first set of feelings that come on us, so we do not lash out, or, because something feels good, even while we know it is wrong, or that we may be hurt by it in the long run, we continue. 

Acting in the fruit of spirit suggests that we have taken the time to cultivate a better way of interacting and living;  that we find a way of behaving where it does not seem as if all that matters is our own selfish desires. This behaviour will at the same time increase the manifestation of the fruit of the spirit within us. 

We hear this as I say it now, as we read this blog. We understand when we read Paul, but do we have the discipline and fortitude to live it? 

I can only answer for myself.  I am trying to be faithful to God’s word, to be everything God wants me to be.  That is all God asks of us, not to be condemning and judgmental of others, but do our best to live a full life guided by God’s Spirit. We do so as the strength of God pilots us, the power of God preserves us, the wisdom of God instructs us,  the hand of God protects us. the way of God directs us, the shield of God will defend us, the host of God will guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. Where God is, all is well. All will be well, all manner of things will be well.  Amen