You’ve probably heard of the “fruit of the Spirit” listed in Galatians 5. If so, you might find this interesting. When I was preparing for a lesson on the fruit of the Spirit many years ago, I noticed something about this list of spiritual attributes that I had never noticed before. There are three groupings of fruit. The first group, love, joy and peace, are all one-syllable words. The second grouping, patience, kindness and goodness, are all two-syllable words. The last group, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control, are all three-syllable words. Is that just a coincidence? I don’t think so.
Here’s the way I see it …
Love, joy and peace are most beneficial to the ONE who is bearing the fruit. Feeling loved, happy and at peace … there are no greater feelings and expressions that a person can experience as an individual.
Patience, kindness and goodness working on the inside of ONE will have an effect on TWO. This next fruit cluster of two-syllable words is not just for the individual who is bearing the fruit. Others will benefit from these fruit when they are working inside me. I think we can all agree that this world needs more people who are PATIENT, KIND and GOOD!
Gentleness, faithfulness and self-control all have impact on THREE levels … the individual bearing the fruit, others with whom the fruit bearer comes in contact, and then also GOD and His Kingdom. Take faithfulness, for instance. The person who is faithful is constant and unwavering. As an individual they benefit from this fruit for sure, but, in addition, others can count on this individual to always be there for them. Finally, and most importantly, God can count on that individual when He calls on them to serve in His kingdom.
So there you have it. I like to call them “fruit clusters.” Now, the question we must ask ourselves is this: “Are others benefiting from the fruit of the Spirit that is within me, or am I the only ONE?”
