We had a package delivered last night that was full of breakable things: picture frames, glass soap pumps, etc. The way it was delivered, however, was mind blowing. He came to our front porch, stopped, and then threw it onto our porch and it rolled until it slammed into our door. Luckily, nothing was broken, but he could have damaged everything inside because he didn't handle it with care. Well...we do the same with people sometimes, don't we? We don't recognize that they are fragile as a result of a broken heart or trauma, and so we assume otherwise and are thoughtless or insensative. This is not how we are called to behave. In fact, if we are Spirit led, there is a quality we are called to exemplify in all of our interactions: gentleness.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
We had a package delivered last night that was full of breakable things: picture frames, glass soap pumps, etc. The way it was delivered, however, was mind blowing. He came to our front porch, stopped, and then threw it onto our porch and it rolled until it slammed into our door. Luckily, nothing was broken, but he could have damaged everything inside because he didn't handle it with care. Well...we do the same with people sometimes, don't we? We don't recognize that they are fragile as a result of a broken heart or trauma, and so we assume otherwise and are thoughtless or insensative. This is not how we are called to behave. In fact, if we are Spirit led, there is a quality we are called to exemplify in all of our interactions: gentleness.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day?
What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths?
Would you believe me?
Hi, I’m BJ Sipe – and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast.
I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father.
Thanks for tuning in!
When it comes to delivering your packages, I am sure that everybody has their own preference as to their favorite carrier. Maybe some of you are United States Postal Service all the way, and you’ve been riding with them ever since the Pony Express. Maybe some of you are UPS people, and you light up every time the big black and gold box cars roll up on your driveway. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re a FedEx guy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have some dear friends that own and operate their own routes and trucks through FedEx, and they do a wonderful job. I desperately wish they were the ones running the show in Danville, KY. Why do you ask? Well, allow me to share the happenings of last night with you. The kids and I had just sat down for a quick dinner as Kylie was getting herself ready in our room before we headed out for our Wednesday evening Bible study. Our dining room is situated right at the front of our house to the right of the front door as soon as you walk in, and from our farm table you can look out through two large windows and view the majority of our front yard and front porch. We were about wrapped up with dinner when my kids started chanting, “We got a package! We got a package!” I looked out and sure enough, a FedEx truck had just rolled up and stopped in front of our house. Anytime something is delivered, our kids assume it must be some kind of fun surprise or gift for them. I knew that this time they would be sorely disappointed. A few days ago, Kylie had ordered a few things that she needed from Target for our home, which consisted of picture frames, glass soap dispensers, and a few other items similar to these. So two things were true of this package that had just arrived: it was nothing the kids would enjoy, and everything in the box was fragile. I thought about getting up and opening the door to greet the delivery driver carrying our package now across our front lawn, but as I was still in the middle of a bite I decided to just let him set it down on our porch and I would get it before we left. Boy did I ever make the wrong decision. He stopped just short of our porch in front of our steps in clear view of me and scanned our package. What happened next left me choking on my dinner. After tucking his scanner back in his pocket, with two hands he rocked our package backward, and then heaved it up onto our front porch. Thud, thud, thud, SLAM it went barreling into our front door. Shocked and quite frankly at a loss for words, I quickly got up from my chair and hurried to the front door. I undid the chain and the deadbolt and swung the door open to see our package cockeyed having landed itself partially on the lip beneath our front door and partially on top of a potted plant Kylie has set out next to the right of our door. I put my fingers together and loudly whistled after him, but it was too late. The loud sound of his truck engine still running muffled the sound of my calls, and without looking back once to see me waving my arms he drove off into the distance. I brought the package back inside and opened up the contents to see whether or not they had shattered upon being toss about like your baggage at an airport check-stand. Luckily, the contents had been packed and padded so well that not one thing was broken. Phew, that was a close one. I sat back down to finish my dinner shaking my head: what could have possibly been going through his mind? The only thing I could think of was the outside of the box was not labeled “FRAGILE” and as such he must have assumed that nothing inside needed to be handled with care. As a result, he was rough with it, and could have done significant damage to everything that it was carrying inside.
As we drove to our Bible study a few minutes later, I started to think about the entire exchange, and I realized something. You know, I might have been frustrated with the carelessness of our delivery driver, but you know what? We can be just as careless sometimes with much more precious things than picture frames and soap dispensers. We can be careless with people. You see, we don’t know what is going on in the hearts of others around us. We live in a broken world, a world that brings with it a great amount of pain and sorrow. All around us people are hurting. They are victims of trauma, either emotional, physical, or sexual in nature. There are people around us that have been abused, abandoned, neglected, or rejected at different times in their lives, and even perhaps are in that very position now. Because of their experiences, their hearts are fragile. Their broken hearts need handled with care, caution, and a lot of sensitivity. But here is the problem…people don’t come with a big “fragile” sticker on their heads, do they? And therein lies the bigger problem – because they don’t, we make the assumption that others are fine, and do not handle them with care. We are insensitive, thoughtless, brash, or perhaps even downright rude. Their interactions with us leave them feeling tossed about, tossed aside, and potentially can do great damage because of our thoughtless words or actions. I want us to take a moment to consider a word that I think we all need to be reminded of: gentleness. Let’s pause for a moment to just consider how many times this quality is written about throughout the New Testament. Gentleness should be a quality that is exhibited in the life of a Spirit led disciple. We read in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.” In our interactions with others, if we are not patient, kind, or gentle – then I think we need to take a step back and examine whether or not we are truly in step with the Spirit as we are called to be. As a mater of fact, gentleness not only contributes to maintaining the unity we have in the Spirit, but it is one of the very things we have been called to in the gospel. Paul would write in Ephesians 4:1-3, “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” To walk in a manner worthy of the calling of the gospel we have received, the apostle teaches us that in every and all of our interactions we must exhibit care and a gentle spirit towards others. And not just those whom we know need it, but to everyone! We read in Titus 3:1-2, “Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.” Just as we would so desire a delivery driver to handle every package with care and gentleness, God expects his people to do the same towards others! If in any way we act differently, then we have become fools in the sight of God. James, the brother of the Lord, would instruct us by saying, “Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13) And again, he would go on to say in vv. 17-18, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.” My friends, is the way that you interact with others wise? Are we gentle, thoughtful, and sensitive with our choice of words or conduct towards others? May we humble ourselves if not, that perhaps we can clothe ourselves in gentleness, and avoid hurting those around us that we have been called to love and serve as the children of God.
Thank you for tuning in for this week’s episode, and I would invite you back every Thursday for a brand-new episode each week. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for future announcements or even some special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, share it with someone else that you think would benefit from it also. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.