There is this wonderful book that has been at hand lately. This year, Mops creative team will be going through a devotional at our monthly preparation meetings for the upcoming months activities. The book is about the fruits of the spirit and seeing them naked, an honest look at what the fruits of the spirit were meant to look like.
According to Morgan (2004)"Love, being there... in everything."(p. 53) A person that does not give up on love when one may have displeases that person. Simply put loving when love doesn't come easy. This is one fruit that is powerful; having a person see within our faults, seeing us naked from all the niceties that are used to conceal who is inside. This book has the ability to open the readers eyes to the possibility of how God would have the reader see others. What kind of a world would it be if we were to have God goggles on.(Morgan, 2004, p. 53)
Joy is the next of the fruits of the spirit. Finally, an easy explanation for what joy is; Jesus Others Yourself.... JOY having confidence in God. That no matter what the circumstances are happiness is found in everything. Because, God is there with the reader getting the reader through the situation.
Peace is the result of resting in God, knowing that He is there with the reader and the reader is not alone in what ever faces him/her. With the storm of life swirling all around still having peace with the knowledge of God's surrounding protection.
Patience. Continually this is a fruit that will be dropped. And then walked all over. Having children and being married and, well, just being around people, the reader needs to have patience. The Bible addresses patience in the fruit list as patience with people. Patience is hanging in there with hard to love people. People who make life harder than you would like it to be.
According to Morgan (2004) "Kindness cares, and because it cares, it acts." (p.92) This is a profound line found in Elsa Morgan's book. The reader may have not thought of it like that before but upon closer examination that is exactly what it is.(Morgan, 2004, p. 92)
Goodness is God like. We, as a people, can all try to be good but it isn't in our nature.This fruit is one that really pushes the reader because one must realize that God is good, in the good times and bad times of our lives. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. To understand that God is good in the times when we are content in ones life, with all desires met, it is easiest to see that God is good and has provided good things. for But, to see God as good when things get bad in our lives, when we don't have all our desires met, we still must see God as good. Because, God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Faithfulness being able to let God take care life's needs. It is explained in the book as having a garden that God has planted. All He asks is for a daily help tending to the garden so it will flourish. Elsa Morgan writes (2004) "we mirror God's faithfulness by being true to him and true to others." (p.116) (Morgan, 2004, p. 116)
Gentleness is explained as harnessed power. In our society gentleness is often compared to mouse like nature but it is more like a wild horse that has been reined in. A strong will bent to an others. Gentleness is our will bent to what God would have one to do. In that thought the author encourages the reader to strive to be gentle. Knowing that if God is holding the rein's that He will help bend the readers will to do His will.
Morgan writes (2004)"Self-Control hems us about, protecting us from losing ground to impatience, bitterness, greed, and the like."(p.131) It holds us together when all we want to do is explode. It means that the reader needs to ask God to help keep their cool, to help them to think before acting. (Morgan, 2004, p.131)
As a reader of this book I feel that with a basket full of these fruit, and the pursuit of the fruit, happiness is sure to be.
God is Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Elsa Morgan (2004) Naked Fruit : Getting Honest About The Fruit Of The Spirit
Fleming H. Revell Grand Rapids, MI
Paper written by Danette Roy
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