Living by the Fruit of the Spirit

Bundled up in a warm coat on a cold Christmas Eve, I stood in a long line at our local community hall, my knees shivering from the cold outside air. I was excited every year to take that long walk into a large, empty building to the front of the room where a man sat in a chair dressed in a Santa suit. I sat in his lap and whispered timidly what I wanted for Christmas. I was then given a sheer stocking simply stapled together at the top. As I peered through the netting, I saw an orange, an apple, a few nuts, two hard candies, and one very small candy cane.

As a young girl, it was always a treat to have an orange, an apple, or a banana. It always has been a healthy answer for a child craving sweets. Typically, there was fruit in our kitchen every day. When my family and I went camping, there was fruit. During the holidays, there was fruit. However, receiving what I believed was fruit from the big man in a red suit on a magical night before his unending trek around the world delivering toys, was the best treat of all. At least I thought so as a young girl.

If I had any common sense at all, I would have realized first that that was an impossibility for anyone and secondly, why didn’t he just give me my gifts when I sat on his lap? Well, at the time I believed he was the deliverer of fruit and gifts, among other things.

We all know that Santa is a fictional character and even if he did exist, he wouldn’t have all the abilities it takes to build toys all year for billions of children, to deliver them in a sleigh with reindeer flying through the night sky all around the world in only a matter of hours. Unfortunately, I was one of those moms who encouraged my children in believing in this myth and certainly do not condone this belief now that I believe in Jesus, the ultimate One who freely gives gifts, specifically fruits of the Spirit.

Let me clarify that this character Santa Clause is absolutely no comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in fact, is far above any comparison whatsoever. God is the only one worthy of our worship.

In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

This collection of divine attributes has no beginning and no end in what each fruit can accomplish. And if we allow our minds to interrupt our stand in faith, we can begin to feel overwhelmed at the thought of achieving just one. I believe the foundation for each one has already been deposited in each one of us by God.

In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” He is the vine, and we are the branches. It has already been established that He has chosen us to be the branches from the masterful vine of all. And if we remain in Him and He in us, we will bear much fruit.

How do we remain in Him?

~ Staying consistent in prayer. We need to remember to allow Him to inhabit us with His presence and that begins with prayer. Just start praying. Whether simple short whispers or powerful prayers on our knees, invite Him in.

In Proverbs 11:30, we’re encouraged, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.”

So how do we become wise?

~ Studying the Word. We gain knowledge and wisdom by learning the characteristics of Jesus. We’re not required to build a library with every book about Christ and every commentary from long-ago faith. But just to simply read word for word, small, slowly, allowing our minds to process the message and the thoughts of how it pertains to our lives. The Scripture says we can save lives. How fantastic is that? The fruits that overflow from us to others can help change lives and save those lost and hopeless.

Finally, what do we do when we don’t know what to do?

~ Ask. When we feel we can’t reach the goal of a life filled with every fruit of the Spirit, simply ask. Even though God knows our abilities and boundaries, He wants us to run to Him and ask. He wants to gift us. He wants to fill us. He wants to bless us with every fruit of the Spirit, not just apples, oranges, and bananas.

Jesus said, “…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10.

It really is okay to ‘sit in His lap’ and ask for gifts – fruits, if you will, from the Almighty God, not some mythical, made-up character that never gave his life for you. God will speak to your heart and strengthen you and give you wisdom to become fruit for others. And that, my friends, is the sweetest gift of all.

-Sherri Cullison, Kingman