“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15:58 NIV

In Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, he is telling them to stand firm, to stand strong in their faith in God and Jesus. He is encouraging them to work at being strong and being like Jesus.

When we look at the world we live in today, it is not an easy place. People are sick and dying, schools are not open or only partly open, students are studying at home, parents are out of work, people are angry and upset, life right now is pretty tough for all of us. But we have to remember our faith and stand strong in what we should do and how we should treat people.

Today we are going to look at the Fruits of the Spirit as our guide for standing strong. When we belong to God through Jesus, His spirit lives in us, the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit helps us to stand strong. These are the fruits we are to “pick” as we deal with others.

Love – loving others by seeing them as God’s creation and beloved by God.

Joy – sharing your joy with others by being happy in the Lord.

Peace – being peaceful and calming as you listen to and encourage others.

Patience – being patient, waiting for others

Kindness – showing kindness by being nice to others

Goodness – helping and doing good things for others

Faithfulness – trusting God first instead of ourselves

Gentleness – speaking pleasantly and not being harsh

This week stand strong in your faith. Show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in dealing with the people you meet. Tell your parents about your “fruitfulness” to others! And don’t forget to practice your spiritual fruits with your family and friends.

Blessings and fruitfulness as you stand strong!