Dear Harpeth Hills Family,

I was sitting recently with a dear friend, Pastor Enoch Fuzz, from Corinthian Missionary Church. Enoch is battling stage 4 lung cancer. As we reminisced about our 4-year friendship, I asked him how he engages with people of every ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status. “Enoch, why do you have the largest friendship circle of anybody I know?” He smiled and replied, “Because I always speak to the God in each man, and I do it in kindness and respect.” My mind and heart went to the profound words in Colossians 1:27. “Christ in you!”

Our Creator God through Christ desires to have intimate fellowship with His creation: you, me and everyone around us. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit invite us to come for this supernatural connection with Deity in and through Christ. But it gets better. God empowers us through his indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sacred writings of Christ to go to others and exhibit his characteristics.

The past few weeks both Jason and Chris have led our hearts to drink of the divine characteristics of God in us from Galatians 5. They have directed our hearts to supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, and this week the KINDNESS of Christ. Wow! Our culture needs a dose of God’s kindness flowing through us, wouldn’t you say? May the following scriptures encourage your hearts “to speak to the God in man” because of “Christ in you”, and you no longer see others with earthly eyes but kingdom eyes.

James 1:19[NIV] …be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

Colossians 4:6[TPT] Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith in Christ.

Proverbs 12:25[TPT] Anxious fear brings depression, but a life giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart.

We love you.

-Your Shepherds