I’m taking the biblical saying, “Be fruitful and multiply” to a different concept today. I’m not asking you to grow our population, but to grow your character. (Hmmm, I just had a thought…maybe when we grow our character it will permeate into others lives and then, yes, grow our populations’ character as well. Be contagious!)
Ok, so how do we do this? Let’s get a little “fruity”. Check out these two sets of scripture:
- “…do all you can to add to your life these things: to your faith add goodness; to your goodness add knowledge;6 to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add patience; to your patience add devotion to God; 7 to your devotion add kindness toward your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to this kindness add love. 8 If all these things are in you and growing, you will never fail to be useful to God. You will produce the kind of fruit that should come from your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who don’t grow in these blessings are blind. They cannot see clearly what they have. They have forgotten that they were cleansed from their past sins.” 2 Peter 1:5-9
- “But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.” Galatians 5:22-23
Yum! Just look at all the good fruit! Pour it in a big bowl and mix it up. This is one “fruit salad” you’ll definitely crave more of.
While exercising this morning, the concept of “self-control” kept entering into my mind. When I was reminding myself of having self-control in various poses, how can I not think about how much it as a need quality in our daily lives?
There are so many things that I could just lose it on or become lackadaisical with, but I must consciously choose to have self-control.
Just look at the benefits in the verses above that having self-control leads to: patience, devotion to God, kindness, love, and so much more.
I believe this is a characteristic that God desires for us to have. Yes, I believe and know it because He says it in His living word.
Just like when I have self-control while exercising strengthens my body, displaying it in our daily life will strengthen our spirit and character.
Go get fruity!
Enjoy getting fit physically and spiritually.
3 John 1:2, “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
I’m praying God’s blessings and abundant love for you.
