Friday, May 20

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Proverbs 25:28

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Just last weekend I watched a man become “like a city whose walls are broken down.” I was watching one of my sons play in a baseball tournament when a boy on the other team was called “out” by the umpire in a very close play at first base. One of the coaches of the other team, who I assume was the father of one of the boys on the team, immediately complained about the umpires call. I couldn’t quite hear what he said, but my son, who was standing nearby on the field, later told me that what he said and at least one of the words would not be appropriate to quote here! The young umpire – who was half of the man’s age – turned and asked the coach what he had said. Evidently the man repeated the phrase and, to his credit, the umpire ejected the man from the game and threatened to forfeit the game if he said another word. As I watched the man walk off the field I wondered how his son felt knowing his father had been thrown out of the park. I wondered what that man would tell his son after the game, and I thought about those words from Proverbs:


Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.


The Apostle Paul lists nine spiritual characteristics that mark the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life, and he concludes the list with “self-control.” What is “self-control”? It strikes me that “self-control” is one of those qualities that is difficult to define but easy to recognize! It also strikes me that without self-control the other “fruit of the Spirit” lose their effectiveness.


For instance;


What do love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and gentleness look like when a father does not control his tongue?


What do they look like when a mother flies into a rage when things aren’t done just right?


What does faithfulness look like when a man fails to control his desires?


See what I mean?


Paul presents the “fruit of the Spirit” as a package deal. There is no loophole for  those of us who are more naturally impatient, or have more impulsive personalities! God wants to grow ALL of the fruit ALL of the time in ALL of us.


Ask God to not only do his work in your heart through the Holy Spirit – but to turn your home into a “greenhouse of the Spirit!”

 Brian Coffey