But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!    Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

The Fruits of the Spirit – Love

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

When we bought property in the Appalachian foothills, we planned on having fruit trees to the side of where the garden would be. The slope had been cleared at one time but was overgrown with scrubby pines, briers and “devil’s walking sticks.” We cut and cleared and planted two apple trees and two peach trees for our future “orchard”.

We were excited to see peach blossoms the next spring turn into a couple of rock-hard little peaches. But before they had a chance to ripen, either a deer or a bear, or some other native wildlife had plucked and eaten our first fruits.

But once we moved up full time, we added a few more trees. We also made the effort to spray and prune and tend the trees, and they began to produce fruit! We’ve lost the peaches a couple of years due to a late frost. But this year we actually got to “harvest” some apples. Our trees are finally bearing good fruit!

The first fruit of the spirit that Paul lists in Galatians is love. We know that “God is love”.  (He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. I John 4:8) God’s love for us and His desire to be close to us is ultimately demonstrated in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. God loves us unconditionally. We in turn are to channel God’s love as we interact with others. Can the people around us see God’s love in our conversations, actions, and service?

The fruit of love is not always easy or automatic. Like the fruit trees in our garden that really didn’t produce on their own, our fruits take work, too. We have to read our Bibles and pray and spend time with God. We have to know the immense love that God has for us. Then we can use God’s love for us and turn it toward others. Are you happy to see people? Do you see others as the children of God? God does.

This week let’s choose this one fruit of the spirit to focus on. Let’s evaluate our spiritual fruit of love; is God’s love in us visible to others, are we sharing God’s love with others, do we treat everyone who interacts with us with God’s love? I want to share a few verses about God’s love to harvest, for ourselves. Here are a few, I’m sure you have some favorites of your own. Please feel free to share yours!

            I Corinthians 13:2 and 16:14, Jeremiah 31:3, I John 4:20, and John 3:16.

I thank God for each of you! And I thank you for joining me this week as we look at the fruits of the spirit and shine God’s love with others.

Blessings and love as you shine God’s everlasting and amazing love with others!