Beneath the SurfaceSample

Before we had things like GPS and satellites, sailors used the stars to navigate the ocean. They knew that stars moved across the sky east to west, so they could calculate which direction they were going based on how the stars moved. If the stars looked like they were moving the wrong way, that meant they'd gotten the boat off course and the captain would have to adjust direction.

If you're trying to get somewhere, it helps to know what things are supposed to look like when you get there. God knows that, and that's why the Bible gives us pictures of what we're supposed to look like as we grow.

In today's Scripture reading, we find a list of attributes called the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics grow in people when they are close to God. Think about trees growing fruit. They don't have to work hard at it. You don't hear trees gasping for air and exerting a lot of effort. Fruit comes naturally when a tree is doing what it's supposed to be doing, and when a tree is connected to life-giving sources.

The fruit of the Spirit is the same way. When we're walking closely with God, things like love, joy, peace, and patience will come naturally. They're like the stars that help us know we're going the right direction. And if we're seeing negative things like bitterness, envy, and impatience in our life, that's a good sign we need to ask God to help us adjust our direction.