Charisma

What do you think of when you think of someone who has charisma? I asked my dad this and he said it was "an unexplainable magnetism someone embodies that pulls you to them. A rare force that when you see them at a party, your feet want to inch towards them just to be near them." I agree. To me its someone that carries themselves with a rare grace and confidence. Everyone wants to be known as having charisma right?

The root word of charisma is 'charis' which is the Greek word meaning 'to rejoice or grace.' I've never heard that it also meant 'to rejoice,' but it makes sense- if you are a victim of Divine grace, rejoicing should be the result! Joy happens when we are bestowed undeserved favor, which is one of the defintions of grace. According to my NT lexical aid, this word denotes that which causes joy, pleasure, that which creates delight in the recipient or observer. Hence, it is used to mean gratitude or appreciation for a kindness granted; a benefit, favor, or gift; acceptance, approval, generosity, open-heartedness, or magnamimity. It was used especially to describe favors done w/o expectation of return (that's grace!).

In reference to God we might understand it as the absolutely free expression of His loving-kindness to men, finding its only motive in His bounty and benevolence as the Giver: His unearned and unmerited favor. Vital to this definition, however, is the understanding that for fallen man, such approbation is wholly based upon the atonement for sins made by the death of Christ.

In connection with salvation, grace is a state of affairs in Christ between God and men in which the favor of God, solely on account of Christ, has been granted to men. Grace may express itself in the form of gifts or endowments (i.e. spiritual gifts); but they do not constitute grace in the proper sense. Strictly speaking, grace is the favorable disposition of God toward sinners on account of Christ. (all summarized from NT LA)

Charisma, is “a gift of grace; an undeserved benefit.” The suffix –ma indicates the result of grace.

Since Christ died for all and all are recipients of His grace, we can all say we have charisma! Each day is a result of grace in our lives. Its by grace you wake up; you laugh; you walk without pain; you live; you love; you enjoy...
John 1:16, "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."

Charisma is being confident in who you are, but mostly whose you are, I believe. We are to hold our heads high knowing this earth is not our home and these trials soon will pass. With this mindset, we should put forth an aroma of Christ, so like my dad said, others will pass by us and want to be near us b/c of the magnetism of Christ's Light in us. II Corinthians 2:15 “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

I can't think of an ending, so there. I'm going to eat pot roast.