Fruit of the Spirit Sample

Skills You Expect To See

Galatians 5:22-23, Luke 6:44, Ezekiel 36:26

What basic skills would you expect to see in a soccer player? You would expect to see a soccer player working on juggling for ball control. You would expect to see him dribbling so that he is able to change direction and speed away with the ball. No matter what his position, he needs to have good passing and receiving skills. When receiving the ball, he needs a good first touch to get the ball out of his feet just enough to move into the pass. When he passes the ball, he needs to be able to keep the ball on the ground so that it’s not bouncing to his teammate. Finally, he needs to be able to shoot the ball straight and on target. What are some other skills you expect a soccer player to have or be working on?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23a

How could you spot a person who plays soccer? What would you notice about him? You could probably spot a soccer player by how he talks about the game and his actions when on the soccer field. How could you spot a person who follows Jesus? What would you notice about him? You could probably spot a follower of Jesus by how he talks to people and how he treats them with his actions. Jesus said, “You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears…A good man says good things. These come from the good that is stored up in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is stored up in his heart. A person’s mouth says everything that is in their heart.” Luke 6:44 Jesus says people are like trees. How do you know a tree is an apple tree? It produces apples. How do you know a person has a good heart? He says and does good things.

God promised his people, “I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey me.” Ezekiel 36:26  When we decide to trust Jesus with our life and follow him, God puts his Spirit in us and transforms our heart. We begin to produce fruit that looks like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When you play soccer, do you develop all your soccer skills at once? Developing skills takes time as we learn how to play the game. When you become a Christian, do you develop all the fruit of the Spirit at once? Developing the fruit of the Spirit takes time as we learn to trust and follow Jesus.

PRAY

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit and teaching us this season
what it looks like to have you in our hearts. Amen