too much

I think it was Mae West who made famous the line, "Too much of a good thing is...wonderful!"  Since "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," (James 1:17) I'd have to agree.  Too much of anything from God is...WONDERFUL!

Think about it: you can't have too much love.  Love is powerful; it moves us to do certain things we might not otherwise even consider.  Not bad things, things like laying down your own life for another.  Who among us would not die in place of our own dear children, if it were necessary?  And even when our love is rejected by the recipient, it should not diminish our abundant supply of love (which comes directly from the Father, who IS love).  It's just a matter of time until that wound heals, and we live to love again.  After all, "love wasn't put in your heart to stay; love isn't love until you give it away."  Too much love?!  That's ridiculous.

What about kindness?  Can we ever be too kind to one another?  As Ralph Waldo Emerson observed,  "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."  Listen to the Holy Spirit.  Listen prayerfully and carefully and you will hear that still, small voice..."give this one a call, stop by to see her, drop him a note (oh, and tuck in a ten-dollar-bill), smile at the next person you see, allow that haggard mom with three kids in tow to have your place in line, tip that server generously (I promised them I'd show up today for a very specific need), and on and on it goes.  There is no end to the ways we can show a kindness in His name.  IF we truly are His people and His sanctuary is in us, then we should be overjoyed when an opportunity arises to be His hands and feet in this weary world.  Too much kindness?!  That's absurd.

What about faith?  Could you have too much faith?  How would that be possible?  If we really cultivated our faith in God's ability to change things, I wonder what could really be accomplished on this earth, in His name.

By now, hopefully, you see where I'm headed with this...I'm simply considering what it would be like to have an abundance of fruit, fruit of the Spirit!  Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness (kindness), faith, meekness, and self-control. (see Gal. 5:22)

We make a bigger deal of our Fruit-of-the-Loom underwear than we do the blessed gift of the fruit of the Spirit!  Go ahead...let yourself go...get a little fruity today.  After all, too much of a good thing is...WONDERFUL!!!!