Fruit Of The Spirit

Fruit Of The Spirit

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control."
Galatians 5:22

In a back yard there once lived an apple tree and an old thorn bush. The apple tree produced nice juicy apples. Kids would climb up the tree and eat the apples. Worms would eat the ones that fell on the ground. Birds would peck away at the apples on the tree. The owner would prune and spray the tree to make sure it produced good apples. About 50 feet away from the apple tree stood an old thorn bush. Nobody ever messed with the thorn bush, as kids would shun it, birds would not light on its branches. Everybody did their best to avoid it and leave it alone. At first the apple tree liked all the attention, however as time went along, it started becoming envious of the thorn bush, and wished that everybody would leave it alone, so it could get some peace. The thorn bush, meanwhile was envious of the apple tree, as no one ever came near it or paid any attention to it. Both trees were envious of the other and wanted something different. As Christians, we are sometimes like the apple tree and the thorn bush. Like the apple tree we are taken advantage of by the world. People are always asking for our fruit and then walk away without saying thanks. People climb over us, abuse us and do all kinds of things to us, and we are expected to just sit back and take it. However we don't realize that God has removed our thorns and planted us where we are today so that we can bear fruit for others to see and be a witness for Him where ever we are. When we are like the thorn bush, however, we bear no fruit and only take up space along a fence line, having no meaning and purpose. As you read this think about your life, and decide if you are bearing fruit.
My Daily Devotional Volume IV
May 24
Robert William Brock, Jr.