We are looking forward to Pentecost in this series, and to do that we are blogging through 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed as a form of preparation. Today I want to suggest four principles of a person who practices Pentecost and we find these in Matthew 7:1-12.

First, someone who practices Pentecost knows herself or himself: no casting aspersions on the character and behavior of others until you’ve purged your own character and behavior.
Second, someone who practices Pentecost treats sacred things with reverence: one doesn’t tread on the pearls of our faith.
Third, someone who practices Pentecost trusts the good God: if God is good, ask God.
Fourth, someone who practices Pentecost lives by the Golden Rule: think first of what you’d like done to you and use that as a guide for how to treat others. (This is the Jesus Creed in a different form.)
These are commands of Jesus; they are also behaviors of those who were empowered by the Spirit. And, they are also greatly needed for those who seek to live in genuine community with other followers of Jesus.