Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” 

Today when I read this, I have to be honest. I thought, “This sounds like Snow White!” Can’t you just picture her waving goodbye to Grumpy and then turning to resume scrubbing his filthy clothes? Or maybe it was Mother Theresa who came to your mind. My point is, there are times when every ounce of my blood seems to flow with anything BUT “the milk of human kindness”! Anger, impatience, selfishness, etc. are always on hand when the situation calls for it, while the fruit of the Spirit seems nowhere to be found! Yet God has promised that those fruits are mine. 

I once had a peach tree in my yard. The fruit arrived every year just when it was supposed to. Aside from watering the tree, there really was nothing I did to make the fruit appear. Yet early every summer, the promise of peaches came with the first sighting of my tree’s glorious pink blossoms. For weeks, as I enjoyed their beauty, the tree continued to nourish and deliver water to the flowers through its “tree veins”. Eventually the blossoms fell off and the water in the “tree veins” was delivered to the tiny developing fruit. And each year the day would finally come when the tree was full of delicious fruit that we enjoyed and loved sharing with friends.

I think the fruit of the Spirit must come the same way. All my best efforts will never muster up self-control, patience, joy, peace, etc. They are Spirit fruit, not me fruit. However just as watering my peach tree gave it the ability to produce fruit, “watering” my spirit will allow those qualities to grow in me. How? By spending time with the Lord, enjoying the Word of God, and allowing Holy Spirit to massage God’s life-giving Word into my heart. And as I pray in the Spirit He speaks to me and prays through me while my faith is built and God’s love for me and in me grows. Jude 1:20-21 “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit,  maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.”  You know, now that I think about it, I may have only given my tree water, but without that water the tree would have had some very sorry excuses for peaches!

Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” John 15:4-5 (There you go! My tree parable with its peach-tree veins!) 

In a nutshell, we could say if we’re dependent on our own personalities the fruit will seldom, if ever appear. We need God for this! “Lord, we need grace!” Recently I learned the Greek word for grace is charis. The Strongs definition for charis says. “…The divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life”. That definition is a wonderful promise to me of how I can truly allow the fruit of the Spirit to blossom, grow, and finally be reflected in my life. It is only through grace—God’s influence upon my heart. The more I spend time with Him and pray in the Spirit, the more influence He will have. And as His influence is prayed for and welcomed, the fruit He deposits will be reflected in my life.

Lord, it is so true. I need You! How can I reflect Your goodness, peace, joy, patience, etc. if I don’t drink deeply from the Living Water that You offer? Teach me to slow down and allow You to nourish my soul, so that I, in turn, can bring Your hope and peace to others who could use a drink of Your living water.