Talisi Hardee - Wow! What a Fruit!: Discovering the Fruit of the Spirit

WOW!

WHAT A FRUIT!

Discovering the Fruit of the Spirit

Talisi Hardee

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What is the Fruit of the Spirit?
HOLY SPIRIT

A fter being dropped off by her parents, Tina ran up the stairs into her grannys house.

Granny, I am here, announced Tina.

Tina, is that you? asked her granny.

Yes maam, answered Tina.

Come here. I am on the back porch, said Granny.

Granny, whatcha doing?

I am peeling these apples so I can make some goodies, like apple pie and preserves, answered Granny.

Mmmm.... I cant wait till I get to eat some apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

Yes, you will have to wait until next Sunday for that pie.

Aww, man! Granny you can make a little one tonight. said Tina wishfully.

I can but I will have more fun watching you wait till next week, said Granny with a smile.

Gran-neey!!! said Tina with a grin. As she thought about the apples, she remembered something. Granny, can I ask you a question? asked Tina.

Sure, baby, ask me anything? answered Granny.

Granny, what is the fruit of the Spirit? questioned Tina.

Where did you hear that? asked Granny.

The teacher said it today at church, answered Tina.

Oh, ok. First, it is found in the Bible. We hear of the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23a. which says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. In Galatians 5:25, we are instructed to walk in the Spirit.

How do we do that? asked Tina.

Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit helps us to identify the characteristics of the Holy Spirit so that we can live as God would desire us to. Jesus left us The Holy Spirit to be our friend and live inside of us. Think of it like this. It is like eating a piece of fruit with different flavors and textures. Think about taking a bite of an apple. You find that it is crunchy, juicy and sweet. Then you take another bite and it tastes like an orange which is also soft, juicy, and a little tangy. Then you take another bite of the same fruit and it taste like a mango. It is softer than the orange and slides easily down your throat. Then you take another bite and it tastes like a peach. This time it is a little fuzzy but juicy. Each time you bite into the fruit, your mouth enjoys a different but good taste. Not only do you taste the sweet flavor but now you become sweet.

Wow! said Tina. I would give some of that to some mean people, so they can be sweet. Granny, I would not want to be fuzzy like the peach, laughed Tina.

Neither would I, Tina, laughed Granny.

Baby girl, I want you to know that the fruit is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has nine different attributes or characteristics. As you and the Holy Spirit become closer friends you will began to look and act like Him. Each time you encounter the Holy Spirit you will experience one of the nine characteristics of Him. Those characteristics will come out of you. This is to help others recognize Jesus is in you. Let me share with you a few stories about each of them to help you understand how each of them apply to your life," explained Granny.

Like The Smile Of A Newborn Baby JOY

G ood morning, Me-ma ," said Swirly.

Good morning my dear Swirly, did you sleep well? asked Me-ma.

Yes, I did Me-ma, I had a dream. It made me laugh so loud, I woke up.

Me-ma smiled. What was the dream about? she asked.

The funny thing is, I do not even remember. I just had a happy feeling in my heart, said Swirly.

Wow, that sounds like you received some joy.

What is joy, Me-ma? asked Swirly.

In walks Samoan. Good morning, said Samoan sadly.

Me-ma looked at Samoan intensely. Why are you so sad, Samoan?

I had a sad dream. My puppy died. I thought puppies lived forever.

Well, Samoan you woke up with a sad dream. Swirly woke up with a happy dream that made her laugh. I was just telling Swirly about the joy she felt. Let me finish with her then I will get back to you on your dream. Is that ok? asked Mema.

Sure, Me-ma, go ahead, Swirly was here first.

Swirly, you asked, what is joy? Joy is more than a feeling. Joy is a deep expression of delight and happiness way down on the inside. You may respond to joy differently from someone else. You may let out laughter. Someone else may jump around and run around to let it out. Others may sit still and have a smile on the inside. It doesnt matter how it is expressed; it is something God puts in your heart. You know all is well. It is a part of Himself. He gives the part of Him that shows pleasure and delight. Something like when you look at a newborn baby. That baby smiles at you and you must smile back. He shares His gladness with you. There are songs that are full of joy. They make me want to dance with tambourines. That's when I want to shout loud and let everyone rejoice with me. Like at a football game, we all make noise together. Joy is special, whether you express it softly in a smile or loudly with a shout and dance. Joy is strong and is deep within. Once you have it, dont let anyone take it from you, explained Mema.

Samoan interjected, I want that! I dont want to feel sad anymore.

Samoan, Me-ma said, You were given this dream to let you know that you have a puppy for a little while. Enjoy and love your puppy now. This puppy will grow to be an adult dog. One day it will die just like flowers. We enjoy flowers while we have them, said Mema.