Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

A few years ago our Ladies Bible Study group did the Beth Moore study on "Fruit of the Spirit". At the beginning of the class, our leader asked each of us to write down which one of the "fruits" we felt was our biggest weakness. I can't remember which one I chose....but if asked today, it would definitely be "self-control". I talked with a friend on the phone the other night, and another one via e-mail in the last couple of days....and the topic of free-will came up!!! Boy...do I ever wish....that God would give me a list of do's and don't's....instead of that free will stuff!!! That's where my lack of self-control comes in. More on that another day!!!

Anyway....what made me think of the "fruit of the Spirit" was something that happened in our Sunday school class this past Sunday. Our teacher...and myself...haven't been there for a couple of Sunday's because of a committee at church that has been visiting some other churches. I'm not sure which one of us missed it most, but she had really missed teaching our class....and I had missed listening to her teach it!!! I know that each of us should be proud of our teachers and our Sunday school classes...but mine is THE BEST!!!!! If you don't have a class...or even a home church for that matter....and you live close by....please, please visit our church and come to Sunday school class with me!!! I have received tremendous blessings from being in that class. And...sometimes....we have "church" in Sunday school before we ever even get to the worship service!!!

Okay....I got a bit off topic, didn't I?

Can't help it....once you hear Ms. Thelma teach and run cross references in scripture and give historical facts and what certain numbers mean in scripture...well, you're gonna be sittin' there with your mouth hanging open in awe.....dreading for the class to be over!!!

Okay...I promise I'm getting to my point!!!

This past Sunday....

....our class was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G....

....as usual.

Our lesson was actually about the Trinity....but, somewhere along the way, Ms. Thelma talked a bit about the fruits of the Spirit. She prays for our class....she prays for each member of our class individually....and she told us Sunday that when she thinks of us, she's reminded of different fruits of the Spirit...then, she went around the room and pointed to us one at a time, and told what fruit came to mind when she thought about us!!!

I just think that was so very special of her to do....and you could tell it wasn't pre-planned...it was just something that the Holy Spirit prompted her to do...right then and there!!!!

Do you know what "fruit of the Spirit" means?

It's the qualities of character God grows inside of you.

It's more than mere spiritual.....or personal growth....it's God at work within a person!!!

So....it got me to thinking....instead of finding fault in other people, which is what we sometimes do, right? We're often so quick to look at a person's faults, instead of their good qualities....or am I talking to myself here?!?!?

Let's all try....from now on....to get to know a person and try to think about which "fruit" they most display.

It will be difficult to look at any body's faults when we're too busy looking for their "fruit"!!!!

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!