Old Couples and Fruit (Matthew Corbitt)
Isn't it said that the longer a couple lives together, the more they start acting, talking, and even thinking the same? We can see this in older people that had started out so different from one another, and over time, through struggle, pain, happiness and joy, they begin to speak and act similarly. It's one of the neatest things about life, isn't it? Those with whom you spend most of your time will have an influence on you. We'll both agree that no single person is “strong enough” to be around people constantly and not be effected. If we could, the whole “come out from among them and be ye separate” wouldn't be written. But thats not what we are talking about, we are talking about spending time with a positive influence, right?
The fruit of the Spirit doesn't instantly come as soon as you get the Holy Ghost, or maybe it's just that way for me. I'm filled with the Holy Ghost, but still have plenty of faults that I need to work on. And I have a sneaking feeling that you and I are in the same boat as each other. The fruit of the spirit is something that will only be produced by constant care of a certain relationship, that is, between me and the Holy Ghost.
Too often I wonder why I'm not as kind and long suffering as I should be. “I've got the Holy Ghost, why am I not more patient?” I bet you have asked the same question too! The simple answer is that we have to let the “fruit tree” which is our relationship with God, grow. It requires constant care, through prayer, fasting and the reading of the Bible. This relational care is what will make the difference between a thriving orchard and one that is on life support. Simply put, and to take a quote from Bro. Mooney, “Water the flowers and pull the weeds... And don't get that mixed up!”
It's safe to say that we are all trying to be more like Jesus, aren't we? You and I are in this race to “be His hands and feet”, to do His will, and to make heaven our home. We know that the more time we spend with Jesus, the more like Him we become. So, if we are to be displaying the fruit of the Spirit, we need to be spending as much quality time as we can with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We both know the power of prayer, lets make sure this week that we let that power flow and let the fruit of the Spirit both grow and manifest in our lives!