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

Galatians 5:22-23

What is your favorite fruit to eat? Is it apples, apricots, oranges, or bananas? Let’s say you like apples. There are many varieties of apples to enjoy and choose from, such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, and Red Delicious. Personally, I’m not much of a fan of Granny Smith—I find them too sour; yet for some, it is the sourness that makes it enjoyable.

Now, let’s say you decide on a fruit. How do you settle for one? When you go to the grocery store, you certainly aren’t looking for the rotten ones with wormholes. Rather, you look for the ripe ones. The ones that are succulent, appealing, and have reached peak maturity.

Reaching full maturity is the final stage of a fruit. Initially, it starts as a seed, grows into a tree, and develops. Through proper fertilization and watering, protection and preservation from harsh environments, it grows. And as it grows, it becomes ripe for the picking—visually and tastefully appealing.

In the coming blog posts, let’s unpack each fruit in turn. It is noteworthy that Scripture refers to these nine qualities as the fruit of the Spirit—singular, not plural—indicating that they are all components of one unified work produced by the Spirit.