Have you ever been somewhere and seen a nice big bowl of fruit and went to grab one, and realized it was plastic!?! How disappointing! Usually “fake fruit” is made to look extra appetizing. But if you went to take a bite, you would be met with shards of plastic and air. The same could be said for someone who encounters a “fake” Christian. Someone who professes to be a Christian, yet does not utilize their “fruit.”
As Christians, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is the power of God. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. As humans we will struggle with these things. If we lean on God, and his power, we will have these gifts.
If there is one of these areas that you struggle with as a person, try giving that area of your life over to God. Having Self Control, may be challenging for you. Give those struggles to God your Father and watch what he does! Oftentimes we try to fight God or the Holy Spirit for control. When we try to run the show, things do not go well.
When other people encounter us and are met with Hate, Sadness, Strife, Impatience, Rudeness, Badness, Unfaithfulness, Harshness, and Chaos what are we showing them? Are we showing them that we possess the fruit of the Spirit? Or are we showing them that we are a shell of a human? I want people to see Jesus when they meet me. I want there to be NO question about my authenticity and identity in Christ. It is hard when you are dealing with difficult people. But when you respond with love, there is an opportunity to share a piece of Jesus…and that is always better than a piece of fruit!