The Redhead

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Once I went on a ski trip with a group from church. there was a young man along who lacked some of the external glow and attractiveness of the other members of the group. He was a redhead and literally fit the stereotype of the “redheaded stepchild.” I was informed by a leader that he wasn’t ‘spirit-filled’ just for my information so I would be more clued in on what and what not to expect from him. I suffered an injury on this trip and it was shaping up into a miserable weekend for me when this redheaded youth came promptly to my rescue. Of all the members of the group he showed the most sensitivity by far to my predicament. He demonstrated the most “fruit of the spirit”, qualities like patience and faithfulness. I’m still grateful to him to this day though I rarely see him. He has a wife and children now and a lot more responsibility. But that experience caused me to reconsider what it means to be ‘Spirit-filled.’ Could it be that we have it totally wrong as we define it. My red-headed friend had to have been Spirit-filled because he was the only one to consistently and thoroughly demonstrate the qualities of that Spirit. Those traits fairly overflowed from him!