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

Is Your Fruit Organic?

Milan Ford


About three weeks ago, my wife and I (along with our three children) moved to the city of Sandy Springs, a northern metropolitan suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. As most families often do, we decided to take a quick drive through our new neighborhood, and discover where all of the key checkpoints (i.e., gas stations, playgrounds, Mexican restaurants, etc.) were located.

That’s right; no neighborhood is complete without a good Mexican restaurant!

After just a few minutes up the road, we made a huge discovery. One that quickly made my wife smile, but made me grip the steering wheel in worry. There it was, right in our backyard:

A Whole Foods Market.

For those of you reading this today that are not familiar with Whole Foods Market, it is currently the world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 270 stores located in North America and the United Kingdom. For nearly 30 years, this retailer has served as a vital tool in aiding millions of people in maintaining their health and wellness through greater food safety and dietary options.

So why would this make me grip the steering wheel in worry, you ask?

Well, (if I can be totally honest with you)…
…I’ve always been slightly afraid of the word ORGANIC.

Although it has become the rave of so many of my friends and peers, I just knew that something with the word ORGANIC in front of it would be a one-way ticket to the restroom. (insert big laugh here)

Not that I have ever been against healthy eating, I just refused to become one of those health food junkies that spends an half hour reading the back of every product in the grocery aisle. Be honest; all of us have at least one friend that we sort of hate to invite over our house for dinner, simply because they insist on telling us why everything we made for them to eat, is now (all of a sudden) bad to their health.

So on yesterday, I mustered enough courage to visit the Whole Foods Market store near our house, and as soon as I walked in, I realized I had walked into a whole new world. I must have been wearing a “Hi, I’m New Here” look on my face, because shortly after I entered inside, a store employee approached me and asked whether I had been to the store before.

I told him that I was, and immediately, school was in session.

He took me over to the fruit section and began to tell me the importance of purchasing and eating ORGANICALLY grown fruit. As he pointed to the hundreds of apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, and other fresh fruit they had to offer there, he discussed how none of their fruit had been subjected to the harmful PESTICIDES most fruit farmers use to prevent insects from ruining their crops.

I decided to play devil’s advocate with him, so I asked, “What’s so wrong with pesticides, if their primary purpose is to prevent fruit from being ruined?” I just knew that question would trip him up.

Well, it didn’t.

He answered and told me that while pesticides prevent insects from ruining crops, the chemicals used to create them are not only toxic and harmful to humans, they also serve as fruit growth regulators, which simply means they promote artificial growth within fruit, often denying it of the nutrients it could provide when grown naturally. Or as he so eloquently called it, ORGANICALLY.

I’m sure by now you must be wondering if this is a disguised plug for a grocery store, but I promise you, it is not. The purpose behind this devotional is so much more important.

In Galatians 5:22-23, these words are found: 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.

After my rather in-depth lesson at the grocery store, I began to wonder later that day if at times the fruit we bear as believers today is grown organically…or whether it is covered with pesticides?

Sunday after Sunday, millions of believers all across the world are provided messages of hope and faith that are heard, but never practiced. Now more than ever before, we are encountering a community of faith that desires for God to protect them from the insects of this life, but will not do what is necessary to make sure that the fruit they bear can withstand their attacks beyond Sunday morning.

Although many hate to admit it, a large majority of religious television and church conferences today are unfortunately specializing in providing the Body of Christ with PESTICIDES; whatever it takes to keep believers happy and hopeful, without responsibility.

But when it comes to those who truly desire to mature and produce the kind of fruit that will last, fruit that as this passage in Galatians points out, no law can stand up against, the checkout line is very short.

Family, living a life that is pleasing to God is not easy.
I apologize on behalf of every leader who told you that it was.

Today, I challenge you to check out what kind of fruit your life is bearing.
Be mindful of what kind of fruit growth regulators you are listening to.