Fruit part 1
The Bible uses the picture of fruit a lot. Even all the way back to the misty garden of Eden. Eve ate the fruit from the wrong tree and it was kind of all downhill from there for a while. And people like to say it was an apple that Eve ate, even though there's nothing in the text to support that. I believe it was a fig. For a couple of reasons. First, as soon as Adam and Eve ate the fruit their eyes were open, they knew they were naked, they were ashamed of their nakedness, and they covered themselves with fig leaves. That was what was right at hand. And second, when Jesus cursed a tree--because it couldn't bear fruit--it was a fig tree. So I believe the tree of knowledge of good and evil was a fig tree. But I digress. The point is, fruit is important. What you eat is important. You are what you eat. If the love that God is, is a love feast... then we really need to be on the right diet. Eating the right food--bread and water, lamb and wine... the fruit of the Spirit--is what makes you healthy. Eating the wrong things cause you to wither and die. Physically and Spiritually. Here's what I want to use for my main passage for this Rant series, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heardd before in the word of the truth of the gospel: Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth" (Colossians 1:5-6). The Word of God (which is Jesus, which is love) is what brings forth fruit in us. Again--you are what you eat. What's inside you is what will come out of you. You receive (eat) and release (share) the fruit of the truth of the gospel. And let me say this as clearly as I can: The ultimate truth of the universe is found in John 3:35, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." God is love and He loves you. That's our foundation. That's what we build on. That's what we stand on. That's our faith. Have faith in God, right? Have faith in love. It's all about love. God loving you, and you loving Him back by loving the people you come into contact with. That's what this life is for, and that's what this life is all about. So don't get mixed up, or twisted around. It's all about love. The fruit of the Spirit is love. But let me say this: Apples come in all different shapes, sizes, and flavors. It's one fruit, but many different varities. Love comes in all different shapes, sizes, and flavors. The key to loving someone is giving them what THEY need. Because loving someone else isn't about you. It's about them. Seeing a need and meeting it. Giving what you've got, but doing it in a way that benefits others. Jesus is the vine, right? And we are the branches. He produces the fruit (that He is... love) and then we bear it. We make the fruit (that we are... love) available to everybody who needs it. Which, by the way, is everybody. Everybody needs love. The trick is finding out what flavor of fruit (love) they need. Making it palatable for them. Not shoving it down their throat only for them to choke on it. The fruit of the Spirit is love. Eat it. Enjoy it. Share it. Enjoy it with others!