Day 34 - Springtime People–Part II
Yesterday we began talking about Springtime people! In A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway reflected on the fact that “people are always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that are as good as spring itself.” Hemingway is describing springtime people. In reality, there has only been one true springtime person in all of recorded history–the risen Christ Himself.
There are many kinds of people in the world. There are far too many “Wintertime People.” To use the language of Narnia, wintertime people have a disposition where it’s “always winter but never Christmas.” Have you ever known anyone like that? I’m sure there are summertime and autumn people as well. What the world needs more than anything else is springtime people. And only Jesus makes this possible. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and then rose three days later, He was the first springtime person. But it doesn’t stop there. Romans 8:29 says, “…in order that He might be the firstborn of many brethren.” Jesus, with His resurrection power, is melting the ice-cold, frigid hearts of wintertime people and transforming them into springtime people. The kind of people that even a Hemingway could recognize–”the very few that are as good as spring itself.”
For the followers of Jesus, it’s not about our buildings, our programs, our budgets, or even the size of the crowd that gathers. What ultimatley matters is “who we are” and not “what we accomplish.”
The trees and the flowers and the plants can’t help themselves. They are doing what God has made them to do. They’re bringing forth new life and new beauty that we can feast upon with our eyes our our noses! Ah, the sights and smells of springtime when the flowers are blooming and the trees are budding. Our lives as springtime people should be in bloom as well, bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit…”love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22,23)
Live your life today in a way that is “as good as spring itself.”
Today’s Scripture Promise: “Until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13–New Living Translation)