But the fruit of the Ruach [the Spirit] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23, TLV

Sweet Fruit.  The photo to the left is a display of fruit in my dining room. Yummy green and red apples, right? They’re fake — filled with sawdust. Even close-up the fruit looks real. Picking up the fruit, there’s enough weight from the sawdust that it almost feels real. Real enough I’ve had to rescue many children and adults from taking a bite. They couldn’t tell the difference by sight. Had I not been there to warn them, they would have had a very bad experience.

Spiritual Fruit is Like That

Spiritual fruit is a little like my ornamental decoration. The real fruit of the Holy Spirit will not only look good, but will DO and taste good. It will provide the person who consumes the fruit with wholesome nutrients. And someone who is starving, the fruit will taste all that much sweeter and juicier.

We’ve all encountered “fake fruit,” haven’t we? Fruit that looks shiny and edible, but we’re disappointed and even harmed by its falseness. The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control cannot be mimicked for very long. Once a bite is taken — yikes! — we get a mouthful of sawdust or worse.

Test the Fruit

How do we avoid false fruit? To not be deceived?

Loved ones, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.  (1 John 4:1, TLV)

My mom used to say, “Watch people’s behaviors when they think no one is watching. That’s their true fruit.” Great advice. I would also add: Watch how people treat their own family. True fruit will taste just as sweet at home as in public.

I’ve encounter folks whom I thought had the sweet fruit of the Spirit, because that was how they treated me. When I witnessed repeated fake fruit to their spouses and/or children, I questioned whether I was tasting real fruit from them. Eventually, their behavior seeped into how I was treated — that behavior revealed the true nature of the fruit. Now, I’m getting better at spotting the bad fruit before I take a bite.

How About us?

Is our fruit merely an attractive display? Or does our behavior point others to the love of our Savior? Are we sweetness to others, but at home sour crabapples?

Today, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us any fake fruit in our lives.

Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts,
and see if there be any offensive way within me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.  (Psalm 139:23-24, TLV)