Kindness, the fifth “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) is benignity; the artful quality of being gentle and gracious towards others. It is like the pureness of a child’s hug that only seeks to express appreciative affection.
Patience the fourth “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22), mimics God’s mind; it holds out quietly before giving way to action.
The peace lily pictured in this post is by Barbara Hamlin. Her friendship has been a long-time go-to pillar of peace that I return to as often as possible.
As with this rain adorned lily, peace is like sitting perfectly still on my back porch swing absorbing the ethereal beauty of my garden through the veil of rain.
Flowers are perfumed words. They send out messages spanning the emotional spectrum. For centuries, flowers have been gifted with the express intent to relay specific sentiments. This poetry of blooms is especially used during February, the month of love.
Joy is the second “fruit of the Spirit” as listed in Galatians 5:22. Joy is my own personal beam of sunshine, daily warming me through tribulation or the reprieve from thereof.
The first evidenced “harvest” of the Spirit in our lives is love (Galatians 5:22). It is a word so bandied about that we have tarnished its meaning with trivial connotations that contaminate its intended, lustrous sheen.