Posts Tagged: fruit of the Holy Spirit
“A Fruit-Only Diet”
I have decided to go on a fruit-only diet. Nope! Not talking about apples, grapes, melons, strawberries, and pineapple. (Well, definitely not pineapple only!)
I am speaking of “the fruit of the Spirit.”
My wife and I have been trying to memorize the fruit of the Spirit. Paul mentions them in Galatians 5:22-23. Here is the relevant passage, along with a bit of context:
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:22-26, English Standard Version)
Now, it is not only that my wife and I are trying to memorize the fruit of the Spirit. We/I can’t seem to get away from continual reminders about them.
For example, this morning I used them in the daily affirmation that is part of my daily report to my twelve-step sponsor. “Today, by God’s grace, I will cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Then, I turned to my daily 3-Minute Retreat from Loyola Publishing, and guess what I encountered at https://www.loyolapress.com/retreats/living-in-freedom-start-retreat? Do you really need a second guess? Yep! The fruit of the Spirit—again!
A couple of days ago, in our preparation to be leaders for a “Rooted Experience” group, my wife and I were reading and journaling about (yes, you guessed it) the work of the Holy Spirit, including the fruit of the Spirit.
So, why was Paul reminding the Galatians about this fruit-only diet? He was writing to churches that he had helped to birth. Apparently, Paul had heard that they were eating a lot of spiritual junk food. Some of the believers were adding a lot of stuff to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul says to them, “Look! If you live by the good news of Jesus Christ, and by his Spirit, you’ll live a good life. But if you try to add a bunch of stuff, you’ll end up at one another’s throats.”
But aren’t we a lot like the Galatian believers? We find a good thing, and then we decide that we can make it even better. Sometimes, perhaps, we succeed, but more often than not, we ruin the good thing we’ve found.
Paul says to these mixed-up believers, “If you keep in step with God’s Holy Spirit, good qualities will be evident in your life.” In other words, what you need is a fruit-only diet.
These good qualities, this fruit of the spirit, operate in three directions. Metaphorically, we might think of this spatially—as outward, upward, and inward.
“Outwardly” refers to other people. The fruit of the Spirit is a matter of treating other people with love, joy, etc. This is likely why, in verse 26, Paul warns the Galatians against practicing spiritual cannibalism. If they (if we) are cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, they (and we) will not be eating one another alive.
While Paul doesn’t say this explicitly, there is also the upward aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. When we are cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, it pleases God. I believe that even the desire to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit pleases God. How much more so, if we are actually practicing works of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! Even in a very rudimentary form, these qualities honor God.
But there is also the inner aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. I’ve noticed that when I am more loving, more peaceful, more kind, etc., I am so much happier. This is certainly true when I am practicing these qualities toward others.
However, there is another side to this inner aspect of a fruit-only diet, and it is this: I need to practice these qualities toward myself. For example, what would my life be like if I practiced kindness and gentleness toward myself? Maybe I should try it and find out.
A good and wise friend of mine often says that he wants to be a person of integrity. He often couples that with being gentle with himself. Yes!
So, I’m going on a fruit-only diet. I’ll let you know from time to time how it’s going. I don’t know if I’ll lose weight, but I suspect that I will gain character.
Come to think of it, diets of every kind are easier if you do them with other people. Care to join me in my fruit-only diet?
PETALS OF JOY
ON HAVING THROWING PETALS OF JOY THROWN AT US
“If you are saved, why hasn’t your face been informed?” (Source unknown.)
My wife and I were visiting family in Kentucky, a lively bunch of boys and one little girl who was obviously able to hold her own.
When we were about to leave for home, the two oldest boys (ages seven and five) began pulling petals off the likely last roses of summer, and throwing them on us. “We’re throwing petals of joy on you!” they exclaimed.
Their mom eventually put the kibosh on them, fortunately before there was no joy left on the rose bushes themselves.
The rose petals, now pretty well shriveled—but still pretty—are still lying on our dining room table. Memory is sometimes the loveliest form of joy. As long as my mind is alive, I will remember the gift of joy those boys gave to my wife and me.
Do you and I throw petals of joy at other people? Do we cherish the petals of joy that others throw at us? Why should little kids have all the fun?
The life of Christians is (or at least should be) characterized by joy. That is not to say that we Christians don’t have our share of grief and problems. We do. No human is exempt from grief and problems.
However, our default position should involve petals of joy? Why?
Well, for one thing, we are commanded to rejoice. Grumpiness is always an option for anyone, including believers in Christ. However, chronic grumpiness that is chosen is a not-so-subtle form of disobedience. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” So says Paul, who was a prisoner of Rome at the time of writing his letter to the Philippians. In fact, Paul says that he himself was rejoicing (Philippians 1:4, 25; 2:2,17f,29; 4:1; 1:18; 2:17f,28; 3:1; 4:4,10). Of course, if Paul has to say something—and even repeat himself—it is probably because at least some of the believers in Philippi were acting as if they had been baptized in vinegar.
The Old Testament also commands joy. Our worship leader read Psalm 96 this past Sunday. Even nature (all creation) is to rejoice in the LORD!
Then too, throwing petals of joy makes both the thrower and “throwee” happier.
Of course, there are people who enjoy misery. I used to often be one of those people myself. However, perhaps you could try making people like I used to be more miserable by throwing some joy their way. That way, you’ll be helping them, one way or the other.
However, one caution: Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). In fact it is the second aspect kind of the nine-fold fruit, mentioned right after love and right before peace. Joy is nestled between love and peace, and if we are pursuing love and peace, then joy will be right at home in our hearts, our lives, and our relationships.
Be on the lookout for petals of joy today. Be on the lookout, too, for opportunities to throw some petals at others.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
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