This is the last reflection in the Pathways of Hope Special Series on the “Fruit of the Spirit”. Throughout each of these last 8 days, we have been listening to reflections on each of the 9 fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” For today, let us reflect on that last item on the list which is SELF-CONTROL.
I’m sure you’re familiar with what self-control means, and what it involves; and I’m almost certain that you exercise a large degree of self-control in your day to day living. Having said that, I think that if we’re being honest, we still have a long way to go in growing in self-control.
For today, let me discuss briefly a few points about self-control and its related behavior called self-discipline; and then explain why the Holy Spirit produces self-control in us. Then I will bring in something from today’s gospel that can help us appreciate what Spirit-led self-control is able to produce.
Ok. First off, simply put, self-control involves resisting things you want to do but shouldn’t. It involves being aware and mindful of your urges, impulses, distractions, and temptations, and then filtering them with wisdom and deciding which urges you would act on, or which ones you would deny. In a nutshell, that’s what self-control is.
There is a related term to self-control, which is SELF-DISCIPLINE. Whereas self-control is about resisting things you want to do but shouldn’t, self-discipline involves doing things you don’t feel like doing, but should do. Self-control involves short term corrective action done whenever the impulses suddenly arise; whereas self-discipline requires sustained, positively reinforcing action over a period of time.
The ability to control one’s urges and impulses (which is what self-control is) is an essential building block for anyone who wants to become good at anything (which is the goal of self-discipline). You can have self-control without necessarily having a program of accomplishing or doing anything. But you cannot discipline yourself to become something, without self-control.
Athletes, artists, musicians, soldiers, young students and graduates who aim for a career, and so on, are examples of people who practice much self-control and rigorous self-discipline.
And of course, this is also very true for Christian disciples — men and women whose goal is to become holy, and to become more and more like Jesus Christ.
- Isn’t it true that those of us who have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus, are committed to live a life of holiness. Right?
- Obeying God’s will and living a life of holiness (marked by love, joy, peace, and so on) is our ideal. It is our goal.
- It is also God’s goal. Holiness is what God wants to produce in each one of us.
But, and here’s my point, Holiness, i.e., becoming more and more like Jesus, is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and allowing us to exercise self-control.
- When it comes to avoiding sinful behavior of all kinds, or living righteously even when no one is looking, one needs Spirit-led self-control.
- When it comes to controlling powerful emotions, one needs Spirit-led self-control in order to respond with love, peace, kindness, gentleness and so on.
- When it comes to choosing how we would spend our time, talent and treasures, Spirit-led self-control means setting aside our egos, our wants, our reputation, our ambitions, and prioritizing and acting in ways that honor God above our own egos.
- When it comes to staying focused on our goals and commitments, especially our commitments to spiritual disciplines (like prayer, bible study, worship life, discipleship lifestyle), Spirit-led self-control is indispensable.
On that note, let me turn to our gospel for today, which is from John 1:19-28. This is a conversation between John the Baptist and the religious leaders. Apparently, these religious leaders, the priests and Levites, must have heard that John was going around telling people to repent and be baptized. John makes it clear to them that he is not “the Promised One”, he is not the “Messiah”, but his mission is to prepare the way.
What can we learn about this conversation that can help us understand a little better what the Spiritual fruit of self-control is all about?
- John the Baptist had the opportunity to be popular and important. In fact, he had a large following. But he controlled his ego, and continually preached that his mission was to prepare the way for the Promised One, for the Messiah. In other parts of the gospel, he pointed his followers to Jesus, saying that “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
- Most of you probably already know that John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, wore clothing made of camel’s hair (which was not common place), and lived primarily eating locusts and wild honey. By adopting this lifestyle, he chose to live a life free from any possible means of corrupting himself with pleasure and wealth, and he rejected all forms of materialism. He knew that His Spirit-led mission required that he had to be effective in calling people to repentance and moral living; and to do that, he was careful not to live a lifestyle that would betray his message.
Although I’m not necessarily recommending that we all live away from the comforts of our homes and live ascetic lives, we can follow the example of John the Baptist in his unwavering commitment to his mission, his moral courage, humility and emphasis on moral living. And as I said earlier, none of these are possible to us, without the Holy Spirit producing the fruit of self-control in our lives.
As we end this series on the Fruit of the Spirit, I hope and pray that you all receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit this coming New Year, and that you may be blessed to continue fruitfully the good work that God has prepared for you to do.
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