Introduction
The Holy Spirit is the One who produces the fruit in our lives. As we allow the Spirit of God to take control, we can carry the fruit of the Spirit wherever we go. This fruit helps us grow in our spiritual walk and enhances our relationships with others. In this article, we will explore three aspects of the fruit of the Spirit: patience, kindness, and generosity, and how they influence our daily lives.
The Patience
The need of this hour is patience. The Greek word for ‘patience’ means an ‘ability to hold one’s temper for a long time’.
“I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” (Revelation 1:9).
A patient person can endure suffering without complaining and will be slow to anger. They will refuse to murmur and grumble in difficult situations, waiting with long-suffering. ‘Long-suffering’ is often used interchangeably with ‘patience’.
“For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly,” (1 Peter 2:19).
Benefits of Patience
Even though a person can argue, get angry, or make a hasty decision, they can refuse to follow the works of the flesh, showing restraint, and taking time to ponder. Such a person will think more rightly and take more sensible decisions than a person with less patience.
The saints of old walked in this fruit of the Spirit. Paul says, “Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings; the things that happened to me… What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them,” (2 Timothy 3:10-11).
The Kindness
Kindness, the fruit of the Spirit, makes us sweet people, and God the Father is glad when we are kind to one another.
Expressing Kindness
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” (Colossians 3:12).
The New Testament tells us, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,” (Luke 6:36). We have been called to be merciful and kind to others. Many times it is not that easy to be kind, especially when we are going through difficulties. Indeed, it is easier said than done! It is also difficult to be kind to people who cling to negative attitudes. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to be kind to all kinds of people in all kinds of situations. The Holy Spirit desires that we be kind as Jesus was kind to others. As we learn to walk in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, our hearts of stone will melt and become hearts of flesh, soft and gentle.
The Impact of Kindness
A kind word, a kind look, a kind help, a small kind gesture brings a lot of difference in others and also in us. It is no small thing. We may think it is insignificant because we do not often see immediate results. But the truth is, it creates ripples (however small) in people’s hearts, on earth, and will ultimately go well into eternity. It renews and revives the kingdom of God on earth. So, it is no small thing.
The Generosity
Generosity, the fruit of the Spirit, helps us to be generous to others. Our God is a God of goodness, and He expects us to be generous in all that we receive from Him. With the Spirit of God working in our lives, we will become generous. But that will happen only according to how much we allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us; the generosity in us will increase or decrease correspondingly.
Practicing Generosity
“… so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous,” (Matthew 5:45).
As Christians, we need to take care to consciously carry the goodness of the Lord in our lives, and that would help us to be good to all.
“So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith,” (Galatians 6:10).
The Reach of Generosity
Goodness is not about helping only people who like us. It is more about being generous to even those who do not like us and for those who cannot do anything in return. It is also about being good to people who harm us. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, He will reflect the goodness of Christ for all. He will heal the wounds of selfishness in our lives. The Spirit of God will bring people to us who are not worthy of our attention so that we may minister to them. As we minister in these kinds of situations, the fruit of goodness will be perfected in us.
