Beautiful

Have you ever had someone call you beautiful?  I have had it several times from my Dad.  He seems to believe the more times he tells me the more beautiful I get; he is woefully mistaken.  Now I am sure when whoever told you that you were beautiful they meant that you were physically beautiful.  However, has someone ever told you that you were spiritually beautiful?  I bet you hear that a lot less often; I know I do.  What does spiritual beauty look like?  Well when I think of spiritual beauty I think of the fruit of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.  The fruit of the spirit is:

1. Love- God is Love (1 John 4).
2. Joy- We are to sing for joy at the work of God's hands (Psalm 92:4).  The joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:6). 
3. Peace- Seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14). The man of peace will have a future (Psalm 37:37).
4. Patience- If you are patient you find favor with God (1 Peter 2:20).  
5. Kindness- Do not let kindness and truth leave you (Proverbs 3:3).  Kindness is desirable in a man (Proverbs 19:22). The kindness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4).
6. Goodness- Christians are full of goodness (Romans 15:14).
7. Faithfulness- God is faithful (Psalm 89:2, Psalm 89:9).  We are to declare God's faithfulness (Psalm 40:10, Psalm 92:2)
8. Gentleness- God's gentleness makes us great (Psalm 18:35). The man of God pursues gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11). With gentleness correct your enemies (2 Timothy 2:25).
9. Self-Control- Men who are lovers of self have no self-control (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

At the end of verse 23 it concludes, "... against such things there is no law."  So go, and be beautiful. :)

Lois Johnson, avid writer, tea drinker, and reader but first and foremost, avid Christian.