My favorite food group, hands down is fruit. (Bread and butter are second, and yes butter is one of my food groups.) Fruit is nature’s candy – sweet with plenty of vitamins. Perhaps that is why Paul categorized certain gifts from the Holy Spirit as fruit – they are sweet and good for you and those around you.

Now I am a concrete kid and I know nothing of growing trees. But I do know that in order for a tree to bear fruit, a seed must be planted, the soil nourished and the ground watered. Nature then takes it course.

So if I want to cultivate more fruit of the Spirit, God’s spiritual candy for me, perhaps I should plant a seed, nourish my soil and water the ground.

Three easy steps to producing more fruit:

1. Plant yourself in Christ. This happens at conversion. You are in Him and He is in you.

2. Nourish your soul. Spend time in His presence. The more time you spend with Him, the more you become like Him. He is the full embodiment of all the fruit.

3. Water yourself with the Word of God. Meditate on His promises, His goodness and His faithfulness as found in the Word.

As we submit to this process, the Holy Spirit will do His part, producing sweet, plump, succulent fruit within us. We will be God’s candy to the world. Through us, people will be able to taste and see that God is good!

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. (‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22-23‬ MSG)