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Fruit Anyone?

I recently posted a question on FB asking everyone to tell me their favorite fruit and why they like it so much.  It was fun and interesting to get all the responses.  

Friends were telling me about different varieties of apples, melons, and berries; some I'd never heard of and others were some of my favorites.  

I also enjoyed learning about the many reasons they liked their favorite fruit.  It ranged from taste to texture to time of year.

All this fruit talk got me to thinking...

Did you know there are 9 characteristics of Holy Spirit fruit?  Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control are Holy Spirit fruit.  Wow!  Talk about a fruit for every season and occasion!!!

Then I had another thought...

All those fruits we like to eat come on a variety of plants; trees, shrubs, bushes, and vines.  Yet not one of those plants made the fruit.  That fruit was a result of the health of the plant.  A tree doesn't chant, "Apple, apple, apple, apple," and produce an apple.

Yes, you probably guessed where I went next...

I must be spiritually healthy if I'm going to produce good Holy Spirit fruit.  I must have deep roots - my foundation must be in Jesus.  I must be fertilized and watered and get plenty of sunlight - exercise the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, obedient living, and consistent fellowship with other Christ followers.  I must be pruned and deadheaded - unhealthy parts of my life removed so the new growth of living in obedience to the LORD can take place.  All of these things will bring the kind of health that produces Holy Spirit fruit!

Want to nourish your soul?  I do!  One of the many ways we can do that is found in Proverbs 11:17(TLB), "Your own soul is nourished when you are kind."

I say let's get busy with kindness.  Not only does spending time doing something kind produce nourishment for my soul, but it also leaves me with less time for things that deplete my soul.  Now that's a win, win!

After you share some fruit of kindness, please tell me about it in the comments section.  Don't forget to include something about how your kindness was received and how it nourished your soul.

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