A Lesson From Fonzie

My next-door neighbors have a Chihuahua named Fonzie. Fonzie is actually a humble and sweet dog; however, you would never know unless you made friends with him. You see, Fonzie barks at almost everything. He barks when you drive-by; he barks when you walk by; he barks when you come to the door; and he barks when you leave. He barks even when you come bearing fresh-baked pie to share with his people! But the thing about Fonzie is, as soon as anyone in the home tells him to “hush,” he obeys, wags his tail, and puts on his friendly face. 

He is so stinkin’ cute! 

To the human ear, Fonzie speaks only one language, and unless you have spent time in the home with him, well, you might have the impression that he is a real meanie. For some reason (maybe my irrepressible sense of humor) Fonzie came to mind during my dealings in an ongoing case involving a particular person who is an interested party in a case [not a client or another attorney]. I have to admit that I dread dealing with this person because in EVERY single interaction, this person is sharp, cynical, hostile, and suspicious. Even when I have good news or say something kind, this person’s demeanor never changes. I’ve never seen this person exhibit even a ghost of friendliness in any of our many interactions.

So why am I sharing this?

It is not to say ugly things about this person; but rather, to share an important lesson God is teaching me about myself, specifically: “What kind of impression am I making on people who don’t know me???”

Hmmm….

You see, whether I’m rushing through Walmart, working with a colleague or member of my office team, attending a sporting event, at the gym, or meeting a client in my office…I’m giving everyone some sort of impression. So, what is it? What message is written on my face? Well, I’d say that much of the time, it is not NEARLY what it SHOULD be in the department of friendliness! God reminded me that HIS Spirit lives in me and thus, I have the ability to produce “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control”…wherever I go! (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬)

And…verse 23 ends by saying…”against such there is no law!!!” In other words, no one has a legitimate complaint against a person who is emanating these wonderful qualities of God’s Spirit. Wow! As a child of God, I want even those who don’t know me to—see Jesus. Don’t you? This doesn’t happen unless we are allowing His Spirit to reign freely in our heart and mind. This is a conscious decision. It is a discipline. Fonzie has a master to tell him to “stand down” when he is barking his head off. We have…the Holy Spirit to guide us!

When God’s Spirit is the strongest influence in our life, people around us see…His love.

To learn more about Kimberly Faith and the mission of Faith Strong, click HERE.

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