Our second reading for this Sunday, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, concludes, ‘By contrast the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control’. As I reflected on this oft-quoted list, I found an interpretation which was new and refreshing for me, a former produce clerk in a small food store:
“It recently occurred to me that we hardly ever see blemished fruit any more. In an age of environmental concerns and pesticides and pollutants, we have forgotten how precious it is to have an unbruised peach or an apple without worms. In some ways, the presence of so much ‘perfect’ fruit in the marketplace places us at a disadvantage; we are conditioned to think that producing good fruit is an effortless endeavour. The people who heard Paul’s words would be well aware of the vurtue (and the desirability) of good fruit. Those who tilled the soil were well acquainted with the amount of work required to produce a good harvest. Lest we forget — good fruit, umblemished fruit, takes great care. We are called to live in the Spirit and to bear godly fruit.” Preaching Helps. Copyright © 2007 The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, PO Box 340003, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Worship website: www.umcworship.org.
This will be my last posting for several weeks. May God bless you and keep you, until we meet again in this special place. Pastor Matthew
