Devotional of the week: Spot the fruit (14 in Fruit of the Spirit series)

…Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:1–17)

We come to the end of our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit, as we reach one of my favorite passages from Paul’s letters. Lately I’ve been considering it from various angles through James Bryan Smith’s fine Hidden in Christ. He shows how this chunk of Scripture is foundational for our life in Christ as he examines it through single words: chosen, forgive, walk, beloved, clothes, thankful…

We see in this passage another list of vices and virtues, similar to what we explored in Galatians. Paul employs this device of using the contrasting lists, which was common to ancient Greece, but he roots it in the believer’s life in Christ. That is, transformation comes through Christ living in us. We are changed as we put on these clothes of Christ – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, and crowned again by the greatest, love.

And again we see Paul’s theme of the old self and the new. As we die to our old nature, whether riddled with anger, selfishness, sexual sin or other, we embrace the new. We practice the spiritual disciplines – living as new creations means we embrace change and are always growing and learning and becoming more like Jesus.

We’re all at different points in our journey of discipleship. A friend of mine said that recently she was nearly hit by a car, and she was more surprised that she didn’t utter a long list of swear words in response than not actually being hit. That’s change. Another friend suffers from ME and although bedridden, emits the fragrance of Christ through her intermittent online communications.

You too can play, “Spot the fruit.” Today and this week, train yourself to notice the fruit you see exhibited in those you meet, online or in person. If appropriate, encourage them. After all, we’re all in this together.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as you inhabit me, help me to bear fruit. I want to be more gracious and kind; compassionate and loving. Let me live from the new self. Amen.