Living a Fruitful Life
Fruit. We have all seen the grocery store displays. Some of us have even been to a Farmer’s Market or Co-op to buy the choicest selections of the seasonal harvest. Still others of us have our produce delivered. Beyond this nutritious sweet food group, Google provided several definitions for fruit, one of which is, “the result or reward of work or activity.” Digging further, fruitful is defined as “producing good or helpful results; productive.”
But what did Paul mean in Galatians when he said, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)?
I have struggled for years trying to figure out how to cultivate these traits in myself and in my daughter, so that we might “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). What is forbearance? How can we show the kindness of Christ? Is it possible for me, a loud, at times overbearing, Southern woman, to show gentleness? Can I ever learn temperance and self-control?
This year we in the Prayerful Mama community, we are going to spend time (a month, actually) digging into each trait mentioned. In January, we will start with a study of fruit and fruitfulness. In November and December we are going to explore two additional Christian character traits: thanksgiving and hope. While these are not listed in Galatians as fruit of the Spirit, they are important to the Christian life (and I needed two more traits to finish the year!).
