Healthy holiness

TODAY'S READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24
I remember working on a farm when I was fourteen and fifteen. I started working in April and worked until the end of the summer. On the weekends in April we would head down to the farm to help plant. One of my favorite jobs was planting broccoli. We would plant this little four-inch-long sprout that looked nothing like broccoli. But a few months later, with proper watering and care, we would find afull, healthy head of broccoli ready to be picked and eaten.
In this passage Paul is telling the Thessalonians what healthy holiness looks like...
Encouragement.
Care.
Patience.
No revenge.
Joy.
Prayer.
Thankfulness.
Discernment.
Spirit-led.
Holding on to good.
Avoiding evil.
This is a pretty good barometer of our walk with Jesus. These are all good indicators of holiness. And these fruit can only ripen when we provide the proper spiritual nourishment. We must work to feed and care for our spirit. But we can't do it alone.
Paul finishes this passage by encouraging us to trust in God and keep our spirit, soul, and body blameless. This is important for this life and the one to come. Are your fruit helping lead others to Jesus in this world? And when Jesus comes again, will you be ready for the harvest?

shine!
Jason