Producing Wholesome Fruit

Galatians 5:22,23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Earlier in the spring I was outside trimming low hanging branches beneath our apple tree and saw a few apples with little worm holes in them. They say that the only thing worse than seeing a worm when you bite into an apple is seeing only half of a worm. Last year at this time there was no fruit on the tree because a frost in the spring killed off the buds that should have blossomed into juicy red beauties hanging there. It looks like this year that tree will produce a lot of good fruit and we will have plenty of apple pies.

The verse for today describes fruit produced by God's Spirit in the form of character traits in my life that look like Jesus. How does that happen when my natural tendency is to not act like that? My thoughts, decisions, attitudes, worldview, reactions, values, goals, and desires must be shaped by what the Lord wants and what He would do if He were to occupy my body. The "frost" that will kill these "fruits" or behaviors is a force of selfishness already dwelling inside me. The world of entertainment and marketing tries to feed it day after day by appealing to my feelings. The behaviors of my own flesh come from the immoral, jealous, angry, envious, contentious heart that is in me. It is cold to the things of God.

Why? Because I am a naturally rebellious human looking to get my own way. The philosophy of the world says that I was born a good person that was corrupted by a bad environment. It doesn't take long to realize they are wrong when you see a two year old throwing a fit. We all start out with a natural bent toward making ourselves the center of our universe. We have to decide then, every day, to die to that self, to crucify it and consider it dead while replacing it with the power that now dwells in us to please the Lord. Yes, if you are born again, you have a new force at work in you which will desire to obey Him.

Which one will you feed and give life to? Moment by moment you are able to make a choice and live for yourself or die to that and live for Him. Someone utters an offense comment? Choose now to crucify your old self. Deny it the power it has had on you. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you with Himself. Pick up God's Word and transform your mind and heart with the nourishment of His truth and choose life. The fruit of the Spirit will be the sweet result.