Where’s the Fruit?
Several years ago a national hamburger restaurant chain had a commercial that asked the question, “Where’s the beef?” You may remember, the little lady would go into the restaurant, order a hamburger, open the bun only to find a small round hamburger patty only to ask, ‘Where’s the beef?”
The Bible teaches us that as believers our lives should be bearing fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 give us a list of what Paul called the fruit of the Spirit. These include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Of course we understand that Paul is speaking metaphorically of the character qualities that should be developing in our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. Each one of these character qualities are behaviors that we choose to exhibit in our lives. Each one of these character qualities represent actions that we choose to take.
While emotion may be attached to many of these character qualities, by in large they are choices of action that we determine for our lives. For example, love is more than a feeling; it is a choice of action. Joy may bring feelings of happiness, but it is also a choice that we make. You choose to be patient, to be kind, to be good, to be faithful, to be gentle, and to be self-controlled. Therefore, determine to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your life so that when people look at your life and ask, “Where’s the fruit?” They will not have to look very hard to find it.
Blessings,
Pastor Gary
