Jenna

I think it's the danger of hiding our Christianity, of not letting Christ shine forth through us for all the world to see. I know this has been a temptation of mine recently. My life is very busy and at times overwellming. I can usually think up 100s of exccuses why I can't do something for God or to serve others because of these other demands on my time. It is when I'm serving, regardless of how busy the rest of my life is, that I am truly letting Christ's life and light shine through me. It's not about trying to be superwoman, but letting my actions show and deepen my love for Christ in all circumstances and trusting in His guidance. The more I do this, the brighter my light will shine.

I think a big part of our role as salt of the earth (preservation analogy) is keeping good in the world. Everything good is found in God, and those who believers are his chosen vessels to give goodness/ good things to the world. God lives in us, works through us to bring hope to others. Christians preserve hope. I don't think we could do that if it wasn't for the seasoning aspect. If we didn't stand out, weren't different or tangy, who would know where to go? The more we look and act like the world, the harder it is to see the hope God is offering. I guess what I'm trying to say is without that salt, that distinctive element which sets us apart, no one would believe we (or God) can offer anything worth having, much less preserving.

I see the two parts of each Beatitude as being the recipient of the blessing and what blessing they will receive. I think Jesus made them a paradox so that they wouldn't become traditional or rote behaviors, he wanted us to be poor in spirit not just go through the motions/act like we are. I think of the relationship between the fruits of the spirit and the beatitudes as different parts of a tree. The fruits are the roots, the beatitudes the trunk, branches and leaves. If the fruit of the spirit takes root in our hearts, it's the beatitudes that will be seen in our lives by those around us. I appreciate the way the studies define terms, and go back to the root words for understanding. Thorugh a sermon, I recently learned that God's definition of faithfulness was different, more specific and measurable, than mine was.

Hi, My name is Jenna. I am from Madison, Wisconsin. This is my first online bible study and I am excited to start. Jenna