REFERENCE LETTERS

  
 

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (II Cor. 3: 2-3)

In my lifetime I’ve probably written several hundred reference letters, in addition to giving oral references by telephone. I love providing them, because I love bragging about students or colleagues that I have come to know and respect.

I have discovered that when the references are being used for employment, volunteer work or apartment rentals, I need to focus especially on the character of the person I am describing. Here’s an excerpt from a letter I wrote recently (with the name changed):

Seymour is a man of sturdy, godly character. He embodies the fruit of Spirit, conducting himself with integrity, peace, gentleness through a light and joyful spirit. He exemplifies the qualities of speaking the truth in love, building up any team that he is part of, and knowing when to speak and when to be silent. He is wise and perceptive, and when he has an idea, I know that I need to pay careful attention. He brings a transformative presence to any group that he is part of. He has this unusual ability to take his responsibilities very seriously without taking himself seriously. He is also humbly teachable, eager to receive wise direction for his own life.

This paragraph is just a detailed way of saying that God has been transforming “Seymour’s” life.

In the verses above, Paul tells the believers in Corinth that they are his reference letters, because God is transforming their lives too.

Imagine writing your own reference letter that summarizes how God has shaped you. Jesus declares that you know a tree by its fruit (Matt. 7: 16-19); what specific types of fruit can you identify as growing from “your tree” because the Holy Spirit lives in you?

Now fast-forward five years: if someone were to write a reference letter for you in the year 2018, name one fact about your godly character that you would like to be sturdily true even though that aspect of your character is a little wobbly right now.

Do you have one in mind? Next question: what is one step you can take today that will water a seed for growing that future fruit?

Here’s my goal: I’d like to be blessed with more godly courage by the year 2018. And I do have a step in mind to take later today to water that seed.

Let’s make a deal: if you pray for my step, I’ll pray for yours. (Well, on second thought, I’ll pray for yours regardless….) J

And maybe I’ll have the privilege of writing a reference letter for you some day.