Fruits or Fruit

Tanya James


“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22

For many years whenever I talked about this scripture, I would say the fruits (plural) of the spirit instead of the fruit of the spirit. I’m not sure if I just did not know what the correct words were or if I self consciously made it plural so that I could pick and choose which fruits to strive for.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that sometimes fails to be loving to EVERYONE I come in contact with … or what about that self control fruit … that one can be applied to so many areas of our lives. If I am really honest, I can clearly recall times when I have even made a statement similar to, “I may not have been faithful in completing my assignment but I was very kind.” Yes, I admit that I have been guilty of justifying my disobedience.

Guess what … I can try to justify it but it doesn’t really work that way … fruit being singular instead of plural is not a typo. What it tells me is that all nine of those things work together as one. We aren’t dealing with a smorgasbord. We don’t get to wake up each morning and pick one or two to walk in for that day. We must strive to apply all nine to our lives at all times.

I will be the first to admit that it is not always an easy task … for me, the fruit of the spirit have flown out the window in Atlanta traffic many of days … and let’s not mention when that boss in corporate America seems to know every button to push. Or what happens when that customer service representative just won’t listen and keeps cutting you off. However, just like every other mandate in the Word of God – it requires discipline and a daily (or hourly) dying to self.

Is walking in the spirit an easy task? Not always but it’s a mandatory one …

And if you have any questions about how you are doing in this area … back up in Galatians just a few scriptures and read about the works of the flesh, which are the complete opposite of the fruit of the spirit and let that be your checkpoint.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornications, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5: 19-21