I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

The life of a Christian should be the envy of the whole world.  There is no other way of living that offers such purpose, security, peace, and wholeness as we have in Christ.  In the Sunday morning adult class, we spent the past 3 weeks looking at the evidence for the Bible being the authentic Word of God.  The truth is, we could have skipped all that study if we just grasped one truth.  That is the Word of God transforms us and enables us to live life abundantly, just like Jesus said.  The real proof is the fruit.

If you have been a Christian for a while, it is easy to get used to all the blessings that we have in Christ and to stop noticing how wonderful life is.  It is healthy to take inventory of life to see how much abundance is growing inside of you.  I don’t mean to calculate your net worth or to compare your lawn to your neighbors.  Instead take stock of the fruits of the Spirit that are growing in you.  How is your crop of love?  Do you have some extra joy that you can share with someone who is discouraged?  Does your peace cause your coworkers to wonder how you stay so calm amid the chaos of the office?

The limited space of this article prevents me from asking about all nine of the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  But, take a minute to reflect on how abundantly they are growing inside of you.  If you find abundance, thank God and share it.  If you find the crop to be lacking, check your connection with Jesus.  Our Good Shepherd came so that we can have life and have it abundantly.  There is nothing more beautiful than a Christian life!