“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” Galatians 5:22-23
One of the things I love about this time of year is the fresh fruit; strawberries, melons, peaches…the list could go on. Several years ago, while in Alaska, I ate blueberries that I picked from the bush out in the wild. They were incredible – and I’m usually not much of a blueberry fan! There’s just something special about eating in-season, naturally ripened fruit. My wish is that I could have fresh fruit all year round, but the reality is…I can’t. So, in this season I’ll be making some trips to the Larson Melon Stand!!
Come to think of it, I can have fresh fruit year round. In fact, the goal is that I would be producing fresh fruit year round. No, I don’t have a garden or a greenhouse in the backyard of my home, but I do have a garden in the soil of my heart.
Paul, in writing to the Christians in the church of Galatia, a church that he helped plant, talks about fruit – fruit that was to be a characteristic of a Spirit led / Spirit filled follower of Jesus. The verse giving the fruit is at the very beginning of this reflection. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Paul is explaining that these are the qualities that are to become more and more evident in our lives as we follow Jesus.
I have to admit that my heart breaks each time I hear of the incredible violence that so often fills our world; Gaza, Ukraine, places right here at home in the USA. It is especially disturbing when those involved in the violence do so in the name of their god or out of some sense of religious belief. That is not the “fruit’ that Paul speaks of. In fact, just before this passage in Galatians which lists the fruit, Paul gives another list. This list Paul labels as the “works of the flesh,” which includes such things as “enmities (hate or hostility), strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissentions, factions…”
Yes, it seems that in many cases what gets reported in the news or talked about in social media, is the violence, the anger, the divisions, hostility, etc…it all breaks my heart. I recognize that I am not perfect in my life or in how I live out my faith and hope in Jesus. But what I do know is that more and more, I am striving to spend less time involved with the “works of the flesh” and am spending more time working in the fruit garden of my heart and soul. I hope that all of you will join me in nurturing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is fruit that I can enjoy year round. This is fruit that our world desperately needs more of. You know what…our church, Downtown Mitchell First UMC is to be a fruit stand. We’re a year round fruit stand in which the fruit of the Spirit is always in season. Let’s work together to produce and give away love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is truly the sweetest fruit there is.
Serving Together,
Pastor Keith