Christian Worldview in Practice
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5: 22-26
So, let's talk about the fruits of the Spirit. Many of you have probably heard that list several times. For others, this may be the first time you've seen it. No matter how many times you may have encountered it, it's good to take a look at those fruits and think about what they mean for your everyday life.
Love
Love is the first in the list found in the passage above from Galatians 5. It's in that position for a good reason. Without love, you can't have any of the others. Look at the beginning of that chapter: "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself" (13-14). Love involves much more than the physical feeling of loving, this kind of love is an action. It is selfless and can only come from a heart committed to Christian service. If we are not committed to a life filled with love for others, even the people we don't know, we can't experience everything God has for us and cheat others. In her commencement address at Liberty University in 2013, Shannon Bream summed it up: "In order for people to care about the message of God's love, they first have to believe that you—the messenger—care about them. Human beings have not only spiritual needs but practical and physical needs too." Without the spirit of love, we can't reach those who need Jesus.
Joy
The next fruit in the Galatians list is joy. Joy isn’t the "I'm happy all the time, can't you see the smile on my face?" kind of thing that we’ve been trained to think it is. That's fake, and we can't keep it up. The Bible is speaking of the kind of joy that can exist at the root of who we are, even in the hard times. This is what comes from knowing that we serve a great and wonderful God, who is never surprised by our circumstances and will never leave us or forsake us. This fruit is a product of our great hope. God knows your future, He is working for your best interests, and we know how the story ultimately ends!
Peace
A life of peace is difficult to live in our modern world. It seems we are constantly being tested in new ways that we haven't previously thought about. Though, our experiences are not that different from the past people. Living a life of peace isn't easy, and it isn't something that comes naturally to us. St. Francis of Assisi is one of the men who exemplified a life lived in peace in a time of brutal conflict. Saint Francis was born to a life of affluence. Still, in his devotion to living a life that emulated Christ's, he took a vow of poverty and inspired the creation of religious orders devoted to service, peace, and charity. During the Crusades, Francis traveled to Egypt, where he ministered to Christians and Muslims, preaching God's love and peace to people who disagreed and wouldn't understand. His prayer is an example of how we can further pour ourselves into others:
St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Patience
In some translations, this word is "forbearance," "tolerance," or "endurance." No matter which term you might use, it's the same idea. This is the kind of attitude that learns to wait. Sometimes, that's the hardest word to hear. Not many years ago, there was a famous poster in many offices. The picture might have been different, but the wording was the same: "Lord, give me patience… and give it to me NOW!" Patience isn’t about the "now" in our lives; it's about the "wait." One of the best examples of biblical patience can be seen in the life of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, lived among people in a different culture, and yet trusted God to work out His plan for the future. His patience extended to those around him as he dealt with the wrongs done to him by other people. His tolerance and endurance show us the value of that difficult little word… "wait."
Kindness and Gentleness
We will combine kindness and gentleness into one heading since they fit so well together. The Bible teaches us to be kind to others and have a gentle spirit about us in our everyday lives. Read this story about a kind act.
Leaving a store, a man returned to his car to discover that he had locked his keys and cellphone inside. A teenager on a bike saw the man kicking his tires and having a stern conversation with himself about his thoughtlessness and stupidity and asked what was wrong. The man explained the situation and told the young person that even if he could call his wife, it wouldn't do any good because he had their only car. Without pausing, the teenager handed the man his cell phone and told him to call his wife and tell her to expect someone to come to get the keys. The man responded that the house was several miles away and that it was just too much to ask. The teenager just asked him for the address and set off. He returned with the spare key to the car within an hour. The man tried to pay the teenager for his time, but the youngster refused, saying, "I didn't mind. It gave me something to do and some exercise." With a smile, he rode away.
Our kindness is our service, a God-honoring thing we can do every day.
Goodness
How does the world measure "goodness"? Do they even put a value on it? God does and expects it of us every day. We can show this fruit of the Spirit by serving others in any way that we can. This kind of selfless behavior, done in an attitude of humility and love, can reach people in a way that your words never can. Some people need to see the goodness of God, and the best way they can see it is through you.
Faithfulness
One of the greatest stories of Christian faithfulness in the twentieth century was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German preacher, and theologian, who died because of his "radical" Christian views and faithfulness to the truth. Bonhoeffer taught in an underground seminary in the early years of the Third Reich and worked faithfully to foil German plans regarding the Jews. Imprisoned for his resistance to the German government, he faithfully wrote and prayed while living in prison, teaching about God's love and power through weakness and humility. Here is what he said about being faithful: "The Church does not need brilliant personalities but faithful servants of Jesus and the brethren." Faithfulness is where you can exemplify your worldview most clearly. Are you faithful? Can people count on you? Ask yourself these questions often.
Self-Control
Self-control is one of the most essential skills a person can master. When you can control your own thoughts, words, and actions, you put other fruits of the Spirit into action. There are instances when life doesn't go your way, and things seem out of control. That's when we need to take the time to put our Emotional Intelligence lessons into practice, decide why we are reacting as we are, and ask for guidance in making the best choices in responding to everyday occurrences.
Putting a Christian worldview into practice can shape your life and the lives of everyone around you. It will set you apart. You will be different. That isn't a bad thing. If we are to change the world for Jesus Christ, we need to start with ourselves, and we've just given you the guide.