People, Person of Interest and Fruit...

     "Hey Alex."
     I stopped and looked at him. He was washing dishes and I was headed out of the back room to get back to work. It had been a typical work day, filled with stress and laughter, and I was ready to wrap up and go home.
     "Yeah?" I replied, holding sauce packets, being careful not to drop any one the floor.
     "Do you ever get angry?"
I blinked, surprised.
     "Yes," I answered, trying not to sound rude, "Of course."
     "I was just wondering," he said, turning back to his dishes, "I just never really see you get angry. You are always smiling."
     "Well, I try to be happy," I continued, "But I do get angry. I just try not to let that show. Usually, if I'm angry, it's for selfish reasons, like someone isn't doing what I want them to do, or how I want them to do it. Anger is annoyance, and I try to avoid taking that out on other people. Unless someone is, for example, picking on one of my siblings. Then that's more of a righteous indignation rather than personal annoyance. Does that make sense?"
     "Yeah, I guess."

     When I was younger, my mom used to tell me that, if I was annoyed with someone, then I was being selfish. Of course, being an eleven year old, I kind of got the concept of what she was saying, but not really. It's become more clear, though, as I've gotten older.  We tend to get frustrated with things that don't go our way, or more specifically, people. Annoyance is irritation or vexation with someone or something; seeing something as a nuisance. It drives me bonkers when I hear parents or siblings complaining about younger children and their questions.




     "You're telling me you think your little, four year old brother is a nuisance because he's asking you about the solar system and how gravity works? He wants to know about the world and how it works and you thinks that a nuisance? It's getting in your way how? Oh, it distracted you from the new "Person of Interest" episode? That makes sense." *sarcasm* (POI is awesome though...just saying.)

   

      Now, if we are really peeved, our annoyance turns to outright anger and frustration and we take it out on the other person. I am ashamed because I just did this to my mom while watching the new Star Trek. It was near the end of the movie when ******* and ***** are ****** and they both ******.  (sorry, I didn't want to accidentally spoil anything)
It was a very intense scene and I was really into it. My mom, being the wonderful, funny woman that she is, jostled my arm and whispers,
     "What's going to happen? What's going to happen?"
     That's what I'm trying to find out! I turned to her and told her, very rudely, to stop it...and I didn't say please. She raised her eyebrow at me and let me finish the movie in peace, but I felt bad about it the rest of the night. I apologized for it later, but it didn't erase what I had already done. I laugh at it now, but I'm still feel guilty about that incident.
   
     We, as impatient human-beings, tend to live life on the fast lane. We get caught up in something that we are doing and we snap at anyone who we think "slows us down". We view other people as "distractions" and "vexations" that keep us from getting our "work" done. Other people's quirks might drive us bonkers. We lack tolerance of other peoples individuality. For example, there are plenty of people who get on my nerves at work because they have little "things" they do. But it's what makes them who they are. Why am I getting upset at that? It annoys ME. It doesn't make sense to ME. I get fed up with people's idiosyncrasies instead of stuff that really matters. I don't need to get angry when someone is arguing with me with me at work. Irked? Yes. Angry? No. I can still speak and react calmly...and I really have no reason not to.
     Why can't I react in love and patience and tolerance? Why can't I speak kindly to someone when they are arguing just for the sake of arguing? (you know who you are;)

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23

     Love of people and their diversity. Not mushy, sappy, teenage romance love, but true love that can only come from the Father. Looks past their problems and understands the brokenness underneath...and forgives.

     Joy with their individuality and that no man is the same. (It would be really boring if we were)

     Peace that you cannot change that. You can take the tiger out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the tiger. You can't change people, so suck it up and move on.

     Patience with their differences. Compassion with them. Some people might be slower learners then you. Bear with them...quietly. Yelling in their ear to hurry up doesn't help. (I know the scripture says "patience" and the picture says "longsuffering" but be patient with me  ;P)

     Kindness ties into patience. Without it, we would be patient, but our heart would be overflowing with bitterness. Kindness is sort of the outward portrayal of love.

     Goodness to not only follow the fruits of the spirit, but believes in it, which helps change our whole attitude towards people and the world. (http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/goodness/)

     Faithfulness is committed to goodness and Christ's everlasting love...therefore, it should be lived out daily.

     Gentleness is the equivalent of meekness. "We are to be free from self-exaltation and fully submitted to the will of God both in our relation to Him and in our relationships with others." (http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/top/fruit8_gentleness.cfm)

     Self-control controlling our own emotions and feelings and tuning into God, serving him and others...even if others are a pain in the butt.

(All pictures were borrowed from the site selahforliving.com)

     All of these fit together, like a giant clock. All the cogs mesh together and work properly. We are told this is the "Fruit" of the spirit, not "Fruits"...meaning, they all are to be used together, not separate. You can't just have self-control, or gentleness, otherwise, they don't work. Unless all the pieces are used together, it doesn't work properly and you can't build your house. All part of a nutritional, balanced breakfast!

     I wish I never got angry, that I could enjoy everyone and everything and realize how awesome and beautiful life is. But I don't. I get caught up in stuff, stuff that doesn't really matter. I need to realize that these "distractions" are just God's way of saying, "slow down". Anger fills my life with stress and anxiety, while these little "vexations" are usually breathes of fresh air. Like when my little brother comes to me and asks if I can stop reading and play with him outside. When my sister asks me to help her feed our horse instead of watching TV. I get caught up in "my stuff" in "my world" and I isolate myself from my friends and family...from actually having a life.

     I don't always smile. I wish I did. Truth is, I'm not always patient (shocker!) but I do try and keep it under control. I don't take it out on other people, and I just try to enjoy them and their quirks.
     Make sense?