What are you Advertising

This is the time of year that is commonly known as “Back to School Season.” There are other “seasons” in our western culture, such as football season, holiday season, and more; I would classify these seasons as social seasons. You can tell what social season we are in by what is being advertised all around us. We see all the promotions for school clothes and supplies for a little while. Then we will start seeing promotions for holiday shopping and markdowns on turkeys and hams! If you think about it, we typically anticipate the change of the seasons, such as fall, winter, spring, and summer. This anticipation is felt based on the events that we know will take place during those months. Once the event is over, we are ready for the next season, right?

The reason I am talking about seasons today is to highlight the season that the church is in. We recently discussed the topic of  LOVE for several weeks! We have looked at all forms and demonstrations of it! We had our outward expression of loving our neighbors at a recent outreach. We have had several messages from various speakers preaching about the love of God, how to love others, and also how to love ourselves. So, if we as a church are in a season of trials and still talking and advertising with an outward expression about love, my next thought is to question what season we may be in as individuals?

Think about this for a moment, “What am I advertising? What is my outward expression to the world?” As I said, the church is working to show an outward expression of love to each other and to our neighbors. Are you in a difficult season? Are you in a place that feels dry, unending like the “dog days of summer?” Maybe you are in a dormant place, like the long, cold days of winter? Are you seeking the cool breeze and rain of His Presence? We are all in various seasons, and walking out trials, transitions, learning, and growing. While this may be true, my question for you is, what does the world see? What fruit is evident in your life, regardless of the season? Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruits as: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In the dark days of life, these fruits are always in season!

“No matter what we are going through, we are to advertise His Fruit in-season!”

This is a challenge to us all to consider what trials we might be going through and to mature us to the point that we are advertising and expressing the fruits of the Spirit. If we have no expression of love, joy, peace, or kindness, then we must be presenting the opposite whether it be anger, frustration, hopelessness, or despair. The Word of God challenges us to put on a good countenance, even when we are fasting (Matthew 6:17-18). This tells the world that in spite of the hardship and season that may come, we can have joy and life in abundance!