A Daily Serving Of Fruit

A Daily Serving of Fruit

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

Some football players aren’t sure who they are when they retire. For years they have been validated and valued for what they do and how well they do it. Their self-esteem has been based on statistics and wins. They are talked about very publicly in terms of performance and treated as a commodity—easily expendable when their worth to the team declines. Sometimes their wives fall in love with their high-profile role and lifestyle.

If they have found their identity in their profession, they face an identity crisis as soon as their accomplishment-oriented profession ends. If they have found their sense of self in their achievements, they don’t know their real selves when the achievements are over. Their careers have come to define them, and they don’t know who they are deep down inside.

The apostle Paul described the fruits of the Spirit as internal characteristics. They have nothing to do with wins and losses, standards of performance, or accolades. They shape us from within and are expressed outwardly toward others. These inner qualities don’t always fit well in a competitive world. They aren’t oriented toward winning. But in God’s eyes these are the characteristics that shape who we are and make us successful in His Kingdom. When we find our identity in Him, we find fulfillment in whatever His Spirit does within us. That’s a sense of self that always grows and can never be taken away.

God created you for more than a competitive advantage against His other children. He didn’t design you to “get ahead in the world.” He doesn’t define you by what you do, how you earn a living, how well you perform or impress others, or what kind of accolades you receive. He defines you by the value He assigns to you as His child, and He shapes you by the Spirit working within you.

Make one of your ongoing goals to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in your life. Grow in the attitudes and characteristics that come from God. Refuse to be defined by your career or accomplishments. Define yourself the same way He does: by how He made you and what He wants to do in your life.

Uncommon Key > Review the fruits of the Spirit regularly and continually “ripen” and multiply each of them in your life. They will help define who you are according to God’s definition.