Day Eleven: Love
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
The Fruit of the Spirit is probably the most well-known passage in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. You may have memorized these verses as a child or, in the process, learned that a tomato is actually a fruit, not a vegetable.
“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
Regardless of whether you grew up with this verse or are just reading it for the first time, it’s important to understand that Paul is providing teaching on what’s known as sanctification. Just like a tree starts off as a small seed and needs soil, water, and sunlight to grow, so it is true for the believer who needs the salvific work of the Holy Spirit in their heart (soil), the Word of God (water) and the righteousness of God (light) to grow.
It’s also true that trees take a long time to grow and mature before they’re ready to produce fruit. In the same way, Paul is showing that these attributes of the Holy Spirit may take time to be fully realized in a follower of Jesus, but that one day, there should be evidence (fruit) of these qualities.
DAY ELEVEN DEVOTIONAL
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (CSB)
If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 For now we see only a reflection[c] as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. 13 Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.
Love Is The Greatest
Paul draws a unique conclusion here –– what’s the point of spiritual gifts (yesterday’s devotional) if we don’t have love? This isn’t a warm fuzzy type of love, but a pursuit of God’s agape (unconditional) love that He has for us and we should strive to have for others. Who in your life today has been difficult to love? It’s likely that very person, the Holy Spirit, would be leading you to reconcile, seek forgiveness, and display God’s love to them.
Hear From God
Pull out a journal or your notes app, and take a few minutes to reflect on these verses.
Highlight –– Write down part of the Scripture that stood out to you
Explain –– Answer the question, “What is the Bible teaching?” Ask the Holy Spirit for insight, and use the resources below to help.
Apply –– How can you apply this in real life?
Respond –– Use what you’ve learned to pray, write out a next step, or consider who you can share this with.
PRAY
Today, would you add these things to your prayer time as you pray and fast?
God, thank You for the love You showed me through Jesus Christ on the cross and every day since
Help me to show love to others where it may be difficult for me to show them love
Show me Your love today, that it might overflow from me to the people around me
Prepare us to show love to others in our church as we welcome new families and individuals
