Read: Galatians 5:22-24

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . . (v. 22)

As mentioned yesterday, each fruit follows the others and we are called to bear all of them. No individual fruit is more important than any others. Yet it is fitting to begin with love. Jesus gave no higher commandment than that we love one another. What’s more, because of Jesus’ example, we know that love means sacrificing ourselves for others.

Through love we can find joy. Paul does not say that “happiness” is a fruit of the Spirit, even though happiness seems to be most people’s highest goal. But today happiness is shallow and fickle. Happiness comes and goes depending on circumstances and disappears the moment times are tough and sad. Not so with joy. Joy emerges from the cross and resurrection. Joy stays with us in the hospice ward and when death comes. Why? Because joy knows that Christ has overcome the world and the power of death. Joy lasts.

And it brings peace. Not “peace” in the sense of no fighting but peace as shalom, peace as flourishing and wellness and a world where everybody is doing his or her level best to help everyone else flourish. This is the shalom for which God created this world. It’s not easy to find such peace in this world, but through the Spirit we can exude this kind of wholeness and live in ways that make it real to those around us. —Scott Hoezee

Prayer: Fill us with love that we may know joy and peace always.

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