Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.Fruit is of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Am I allowing the Spirit to produce fruit in my life or am I trying to do it myself? With part of the fruit it is easy for me to recognize the Spirit's role in its production: peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. But part of the list is easy for me to practice: love, joy, patience, kindness, self-control. However, if I practice these fruits, they become disciplines not fruit at all. I can have self-discipline. I control myself in frustrating situation to practice my patience; I act outwardly in such a way as to show self-control; I decide to have a positive attitude and choose joy; I choose to love rather than hate; I do random acts of kindness because I know I should be kind. The problem with this outlook is that it becomes all about me and what I can do to be like Christ. Fruit is of the Spirit for a reason. The Spirit in us changes the very nature of who we are. Once changed, we have no need to practice these attributes, because the fruit of the Spirit is who we are. Instead of trying to be like Christ, we are Christlike. What freedom!
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