The Fruit of the Spirit – Part 1: Love
The “Fruit of the Spirit” has also been misinterpreted as characteristics that believers should somehow manufacture in their lives. But the key to understanding these qualities is in the name. “Fruit” is the natural result of growth. And “of the Spirit” explains exactly Who causes that growth—it’s not our striving or straining, but the power of the Holy Spirit. The English word love has a very broad meaning, but the Greek language is very precise. The love which the Holy Spirit manifests in believers is agape. This love is not a feeling, but a choice. It is the choice to be kind, to sacrifice, to consider another’s needs greater than one’s own.