THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Part Four -- Devotional for November 22, from "Good Seeds"

What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard – things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity, a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, and able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Are you a list maker? I am. I find it both enjoyable and useful to make lists for myself: things to do today; people to contact; what to buy when I go to town; pros and cons regarding an impending decision…and I could “list” plenty more! List making is fun because we can go back to our list later and check off what we’ve accomplished. And it is helpful because it corresponds with the way our minds work: we learn and understand as we compare and contrast and categorize. And so, it shouldn’t surprise us to find lists in the Bible. For example: the genealogies; the ten commandments; the beatitudes; the gifts of the Spirit; the attributes of God…. “Wait!” you say, “the only place you’ll find that last one is in theology books.” Maybe so, but if verse 22 says these are characteristic attitudes of those who live God’s way, wouldn’t it follow that as we practice them we are walking “in God’s steps,” thinking and feeling and doing as He does? We now come to the seventh fruit, FAITHFULNESS. It doesn’t say faith. Faith is trusting and believing what we cannot see or prove empirically. Technically, God has no need for faith, as He knows all and sees all. Grace is God’s department: the extending of salvation to mankind, whereas faith is man’s domain: the receiving of God’s gracious gift. But Faithfulness describes both God and the godly man. It is a corollary of love as defined in I Cor. 13:7, “If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost; you will always believe in him, expect the best of him and stand your ground in defending him.” The relationships of godly people have the distinctive flavor of loyalty about them. Patience helps us stick to a task through to its completion, but faithfulness causes us to stick to a friend to the end. The eighth fruit is gentleness, or better rendered, MEEKNESS. This word means “power under control,” or “strength harnessed for service.” Though it rhymes with weakness, it is anything but weak. But if I want to be godly, I must recognize the limitations of my own strengths and abilities, and remember the damage I caused every time “I did it my way!” Meekness is God’s power manifested in my weakness (II Corinthians 12:10). It is inviting Him to work in my failure to bring about His success!