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

Each element of the fruit of the Spirit could be taken, one by one, and sliced into juicy sections to savor. Appearance, fragrance, texture, flavor and nutrients that exceed any physical fruit. I immediately think of Psalm 34:8; “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

Faithfulness. According to Merriam-Webster's definition; steadfast in affection or allegiance 

When we live faithful, fruit producing lives, others are nourished in remarkable ways. The refuge we find in God, through Christ, can be passed on. We represent Him and when I remove my hang-ups and step out of the way, God works in ways beyond my comprehension. My love is lopsided and limited. When I remove my agendas, God's seamless, beautiful and perfect love can move through me and bless others. No physical piece of fruit can deliver anything close.

Of all of the ways Jesus could have talked about faithfulness, he chose to use money to showcase this fruit of the Spirit. Luke 16:10-13; “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

There are faith-filled saints living in extreme poverty and there are ones living in the lap of luxury. There are faith-less individuals who are cynical, negative grumps without a dime and there are faith-less monetarily rich people around the globe. Circumstances do not determine faithfulness, character does. Faithfulness is a character trait that is learned, nurtured and practiced.

Gentleness. Merriam-Webster defines gentleness as the quality or state of being gentle; especially mildness of manners or disposition

Proverbs 15:1-4; “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

I stated that faithfulness required practicing. So does gentleness! Most of us know of at least one person or place where we find being gentle is the last thing we feel like doing. This would be an area that requires training. Taking the one relationship or place where you find yourself feeling stirred up, not gentle. You are usually tense and reactive. This is the training ground. The next time give a soft, gentle response, whether it is verbal or non-verbal. You will learn and discover the best way to be gentle. Yet it takes time. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the fruit of self-control. Titus 2:12-24 states; “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

The call to live self-controlled lives in a world seemingly out of control, is daunting. Impossible really! I would be the most out of control, erratic grandma around! There are no temptations, addictions or unhealthy habits off limits to my psyche. On my own, I am bound to self-destruct. Jeremiah 17:9; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” We no longer need to inconvenience ourselves hunting down illicit substances. Shopping, gambling, pornography, to name a few, can be done from home. It’s so easy to get pulled in.

I will be checking my motives. I may be asking myself some questions or deciding in advance to have some personal boundaries. It would be nearly impossible to honestly evaluate my motives. I know and believe that God will reveal what I need to know when I ask him out of a sincere heart.

How is the fruit of the spirit being nurtured and harvested in your life? Please leave a comment below.