“Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit…”
June 29, 2021
…and wisdom is not putting it in a salad.” Somehow I managed to escape elementary school without learning a tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable. Fortunately, my ignorance did not keep me from receiving my elementary diploma, but it did keep me from putting tomatoes into any fruit salad I had made up to that point. I was wise without the knowledge!
However, when it comes to bearing spiritual fruit, it is important to know what that fruit is. In John 15: 16a we are told that Jesus appointed His disciples to bear fruit and fruit that would abide:
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,”
Jesus chose and chooses His disciples, not simply so they would have the thrill of knowing they are chosen, but so that they would bear fruit that would remain, and fruit that would bring glory to God the Father.
I think it is logical to then ask, “What is the fruit that Jesus’ disciples are to bear?” A huge part of the answer to this question may be found in Galatians 5: 22-23:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Notice how easy it is for us to commit these fruit to memory. There are three triads of fruit which add up to nine fruit total.
The first triad are the one-syllable fruit: LOVE-JOY-PEACE
The second triad are the two-syllable fruit:
PATIENCE-KINDNESS-GOODNESS
The third triad are the three-syllable fruit:
FAITHFULNESS-GENTLENESS-SELF-CONTROL
Over the next several blogs, I would like to explore each of these fruit, but until then, maybe you can memorize what the nine fruit are and start to think about the wisdom of having these fruit in your spiritual fruit bowl.