“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

John 16:13-14

What The Spirit Of Truth Shared With Me Personally

Yesterday I posted this on Twitter:

My marriage relationship turned a big corner when I stopped focusing on Kathy’s faults and started praying daily: “Father, make me a man who loves Kathy the way Jesus loves Kathy.”

I’m not sure exactly when I started praying like that but I’m embarrassed to say it’s more recent than I’d like it to be. (I’m also embarrassed to say that Kathy loves like Jesus better than I do, and, my own list of faults is longer than hers.) In our text Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth.” And he says he will guide you into all truth. And he says the Spirit of truth will glorify him, Jesus, because he will take what is Jesus’ and declare it to you.

Craig Keener, one of my favorite Bible commentators, says this language implies a deeper revelation of Jesus’ character. I think what the Spirit of truth shared with me personally is that focusing on the faults of others is contrary to Jesus’ character.

In my marriage relationship, and truth be told, in all my relationships, focusing on how well I’m loving the person in front of me, rather than pointing a finger at them (even if it’s only in my mind), makes a dramatic difference in the relationship.

Not concerning myself with how a person is relating to me, and instead concerning myself only with how well I’m responding to that person as Jesus would respond to that person makes all the difference.

Earnestly praying for God to do whatever it takes to make me a man who loves Him, and who loves the people in front of me, and who loves Kathy, the way Jesus does, that changes everything — for the better.

That’s the way to live.

That’s the way to live life like Jesus and to love like Jesus.

Jesus is the way.

Maybe you’ve had similar thoughts or feelings. If you have, feel free to join me in this prayer:

“Father, please do whatever it takes to make me a man who loves You the way Jesus loves You, and who loves my wife the way Jesus loves my wife, and who loves every person I encounter the way Jesus loves that person.

“In Jesus’ name I ask this of You.

“Amen”

Notes:

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament,
InterVarsity Press, 1993, p. 303

Image of Truth sign via loreshdw — Creative Commons