Galatians 5:22-24 MSG But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others (love), exuberance about life (joy), serenity (peace). We develop a willingness to stick with things (patience), a sense of compassion in the heart (kindness), and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people (goodness). We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments (faithfulness), not needing to force our way in life (meekness/gentleness), able to marshal and direct our energies wisely (self-control). 23b-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
Observation
This passage is the very well-known Fruit of the Spirit passage. Unlike all the shepherd and sheep references in the New Testament, I can understand what is being said about fruit! A fruit tree draws nurture from sun, soil, water and the care given by the gardener. If the soil is rich with what the fruit tree needs, the sun is just right to keep it healthy, the watering is enough but not too much, and the gardener has done a good job of pruning, fertilizing and tending the tree, the fruit harvested will be sweet and plentiful. The fruit will get all the kudos, but the sun, soil, water and care make it so.
So is the story of the fruit in this passage. “But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard….” Abundant fruit is the natural product of a well-tended fruit tree. Just as the young tree must grow, be pruned and mature until it is ready to bear fruit, so must we be so that the fruit we produce will nourish those who come to it for food. If we allow the Holy Spirit to be our gardener – to tend and, when necessary, prune us; to deepen our roots in Christ; to nourish us with the water of the Word – our lives will also have abundant low-hanging fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, meekness, faithfulness and self-control. Just as the orange tree produces oranges, so we will produce these fruits as the natural harvest of our growing maturity in Christ.
Impact on Me
So, what is my responsibility in this? I am required to provide the good soil, soil turned, softened, and enriched by the Holy Spirit as I study His Word and put it into practice in my life. I need to give Him permission to disturb my comfort, my cultural values, my pride, my selfishness – all those things that make soil rocky, hard or shallow. I need to give Him permission to prune the superfluous branches in me that only draw me away from being abundantly fruitful. I need to be patient to be pruned, allow the new growth to strengthen my trunk and expand my reach, allow the leaves to come, then the flowers, and finally the fruit. Personally, I want all of these fruits working in my life, evident in my ministry, and available to others as low-hanging (easily accessible) fruit for whosever will come by.
All of the fruit is important and equally available to me. I have always had a slight preference for meekness – often translated as gentleness – translated here as “not needing to force our way in life.” This may appear to be the most passive of the passive list above, however, I believe this fruit demonstrates strength and faith in the plan that God has set and is working out – even when I don’t understand the why or what of my circumstances. Am I being pruned? Is my ground being broken up? Has all my fruit been harvested? Am I resisting the Gardener? To me, meekness is the strength and faith to rest in the Lord and His Word, wait upon His instruction, and respond according to the Word and the Spirit of Christ in me rather than reacting according to my flesh. This is my lesson from the fruit tree.
Prayer
Lord God Almighty, All-Wise, All-Loving Father, I submit myself to You, put myself in Your care, trust Your plan, path and purpose for me. Help me to be a tree that is willing to be pruned in order to develop the strength, the foundation, to hold a large canopy that can be abundantly fruitful. Help me to embrace “not needing to force our way in life” – regardless of what my culture teaches – but, rather, to allow Your life to flow freely in and through me to produce love, joy, peace, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, meekness and self-control. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 