As I’m preparing for Awana tonight, I think about our theme….Fruits of the Spirit. What a great theme! It’s pulled straight from the Word of God and gives so many attributes for us to practice daily in our lives. As I thought about the passage in Galatians 5:22-23, I thought about how my view has changed over the years. It’s a teachable moment for children, and it evolves as they become older and begin to truly understand the meaning of the verses. As a believer this verse becomes a standard for all my actions daily. Let’s break it down to see just what Paul is teaching us.
LOVE
What does is mean to love? There’s so many definitions to this small four letter word. It’s used many times each day and sometimes even misused, sadly. When I hear this word I immediately think of the Greek word agape. It means the *love of choice, unconditional love, and it refers to an emotional affection, a physical attraction, or a familial bond. It leads to respect, devotion, and affection that leads to willing, self-sacrificial service. *John MacArthur Bible Commentary
JOY
Joy is the satisfaction of knowing that all is well between me and my Creator. It’s a gift from God and it isn’t the result of everything going my way. As a matter of fact, joy comes even when my circumstances and not so great. I consider it a blessing from the Lord. 1 Peter 1:8
PEACE
Peace refers to the calmness inside me because of the confidence that I have in my salvation from the Lord. The phrase “having it all together” comes from the word peace, the binding together. And like joy, it has nothing to do with my circumstances being good. My life can be falling apart, yet I still feel peace in my relationship with Jesus Christ. John 14:27, Phillipians 4:6-7
PATIENCE
Patience means being able to endure sufferings caused by others. This one is hard for me. I’ve always struggled with having patience in lots of areas in my life. God’s Word tells us that we will face persecution. We have to learn patience to be able to deal with these things. Ephesians 4:2
KINDNESS
The world talks alot about kindness these days. We are instructed to have gentle care for others, to treat them as the Lord treats all believers. This does not mean tolerating continued sinfulness by our friends and family. I believe being kind also means sharing Gods Word with others in pointing out their sins gently and leading them to what He says is correct. 2 Timothy 2:24
GOODNESS
Goodness is very close to kindness. It means moral and spiritual excellence. Believers are commanded to show goodness. 2 Thessalonians 1:11
FAITHFULNESS
Being faithful is to be honest and trusthworthy. It’s a characteristic that is so often lost in these times. We don’t realize the importance of being an honest child, parent, friend, or spouse. It’s the base of a good relationship, no matter what that relationship may be. The faithfulness of our God never ceases. Lamentations 3:22
GENTLENESS
Another word for gentleness is “meekness”. It’s an attitude that’s humble, gentle, and patiently submissive. It means to have no desire for revenge, to be teachable, and to have consideration of others. In the Holy Bible it refers to the submission to the will of God. Colossians 3:12
SELF-CONTROL
This term refers to restraining ones-self in all areas. Self-control takes discipline. It’s talking about our words, actions, appetites, everything we can think of. We must practice self-control in our lives. 2 Peter 1:5-6
AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW- This isn’t one of the fruits, but it’s telling us exactly what it says. There’s no law against doing these things. All I can say is WOW! Paul has a lot packed into these 2 verses and the Bible has many more references to these fruits. What an admonition for us! I pray that you desire to live a holy life and practice these things daily.
Be blessed,
Nana