John 10:1-10 | What's the lesson for me today?

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
-John 10:10

This is a verse that has been taken out of context for centuries. In more recent years, the lessons of abundant life have been misdefined as wealth, health, power, and reputation. When I consider Jesus, I don't see Him as wealthy. The vicious end of His life calls to question what is healthy. There was power within Him but that never established the abundance of His life. And His reputation was horrible among the elite of the time. But I have no doubt that Jesus lived the most abundant and fulfilled life out there. I am going to give a list that is found in Scripture and I want us to consider this list.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22-23

These things are what I see the vast majority of the world is searching for. They are ever in pursuit and seldom arriving at the goal they are set upon. I would argue that these things are undergirding the pursuits for things like wealth, health, power, and reputation. It is these things that are ultimately fulfilling. If someone lacked all things but had these, most people would be inclined to agree. A fruit filled life like this is what I see an abundant life looks like. And I believe that is what Jesus is promising here.

The question naturally arises, what does that mean for me? Well for one, it means I need come before Jesus. I daily need to lay myself down before Him. I need to be on watch for the enemy who would try to steal, kill, and destroy any and all of Jesus in me. When the enemy is there, I really need to run to Jesus. I need to look at the fruit in my life as a result of it.

What lesson are you taking away?