By F. D. Adkins
The house we lived in quite a few years ago had a line of apple trees paralleling one edge of our property. Our dog was only a few years old then and still full of energy. We used to find it amusing that she loved the apples but would never eat the ones on the ground. She would take a running leap and snatch fresh ones off the trees.
This week, I studied Galatians 5, memorizing verses 19 through 23. In verses 19 through 21, Paul details a list of works or bad fruit that we should not be producing or involved with as followers of Christ. He even specifies that these things will keep us from Heaven.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 KJV
But Paul does not leave us hanging with just a list of things not to do. He goes on to detail the traits that a follower of Christ should aspire to possess.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
As I read these verses this week, the memory of our dog picking fresh apples popped into my mind. She did not want the apples on the ground that could have possibly begun to rot or that might have worms or bees in them. She wanted the good apples on the tree way above her head, even if that meant putting in a lot more effort to get them.
The list of things Paul notes that will keep one from the kingdom of God are things of the flesh or worldly desires that the devil loves to use as temptations in order to lure followers away from Christ. But the good fruit that Paul shares are qualities that we should produce more and more of as we grow closer in our walk with Christ. Just as our dog recognized the dangers in the rotten fruit on the ground and yearned for the good fruit above her, we should focus on things above and becoming more like Jesus in all we say and do.
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2 KJV
