But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. [Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)]
In contrast to works, which are produced by us, the Fruit of the Spirit is produced by the Holy Spirit. Rather than a basket with a variety of fruit, this is one indivisible fruit characterized by nine virtues: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We could call this the “Christlikeness fruit” because these characteristics describe Jesus and should describe us.
Planted by the Spirit in our hearts when we accept Jesus, the Fruit of the Spirit is a little like a Swiss Army knife with its numerous functions. Just as the multi-faceted pocketknife can provide us with two blades, along with a corkscrew, screwdriver, bottle opener, scissors, toothpick, tweezers, can opener, and key ring, the Fruit of the Spirit is an all-purpose spiritual tool providing us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Victorinox, however, doesn’t equip every Swiss Army knife with the same tools. With its 13 functions, their rescue knife comes with a saw for cutting shatterproof glass, a seatbelt cutter, and a window breaker but it doesn’t have the huntsman knife’s corkscrew and multi-purpose hook or the mini champ’s cuticle pusher and orange peeler! Unlike the knife maker, however, God equips every one of His children with the same nine all-purpose attributes in the Fruit of the Spirit!
It’s not Victorinox’s “cross on shield” logo that identifies it; the knife is known by its tools! In the same way, it’s not labeling ourselves Christians that identifies us as such—we’re known as Christ’s followers when the Fruit of the Spirit is evident in our behavior. The tools on any Swiss Army knife are meant to be used but, once it’s sold, Victorinox doesn’t care if you never open the knife. The virtues of the Fruit of the Spirit, however, are meant to be evident and God notices when they aren’t.
When describing the Fruit of the Spirit in “newspaper English,” famed preacher Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932) may have said it best: “The Fruit of the Spirit is an affectionate, lovable disposition, a radiant spirit and a cheerful temper, a tranquil mind and a quiet manner, a forbearing patience in provoking circumstances and with trying people, a sympathetic insight and tactful helpfulness, generous judgment and a big-souled charity, loyalty and reliableness under all circumstances, humility that forgets self in the joy of others, in all things self-mastered and self-controlled, which is the final mark of perfecting.” It is the presence of the Fruit of the Spirit that enables us to grow more like Jesus every day—to have His purpose, thoughts, words and actions be ours.
We recognize a Swiss Army knife by its tools; do people recognize us by our fruit?
Devotions of the Heart 