Friday, July 11, 2025

Listen to the Word

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.    (Galatians 5:22-23)

The nine traits listed in our Scripture are not separate qualities that grow in isolation from each other. It does not say "the fruits of the Spirit are..." but rather "the fruit of the Spirit is." The image is more a cluster of grapes than a bowl of fruit cocktail. The nine traits are one fruit, so we can't pick and choose. We can't say, "I want to grow in joy, but I'm not interested in self-control today (I'll have the pears but not the peaches)." It is a package deal. God wants to develop all of these characteristics in us.

Live the Word

Commit our Scripture to memory. Ask God to write it on your heart and mind.