“Got Fruit?”

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

Spring break. Arthur, My husband, had promised our youngest son (Nathan) to a fishing trip, so we all set out for East Texas, Lake O’ The Pines, an area that Arthur had to see. Once in East Texas, we stopped at the last Walmart on the road to pick up a fishing license and miscellaneous items. I and our older son (Jason) went in one direction, while Art and Nathan went in another, agreeing to meet at the cash register.

Jason and I were done first, so we paid for our items and sat on a bench. A couple with a baby walked by (I’d recognized seeing them in passing while shopping). I overheard the husband say, “I’m not doing that!” I sensed that the wife had instructed him to give something to us. When they walked out of the store, I chalked it up as a mis-sense. However, within moments the young man with his baby came back in and walked by us again. My eyes followed him as he walked. He walked a short distance pass us, then turned back toward us.

As he walked by, he handed me a tract (see link noted below) that said, “Got Fruit,” with a God bless you and was gone faster than his arrival. I responded with a smile, “God Bless you, too.” I skimmed the tract, reminding myself to fully read it during our time at the lake. But, then came the questions: “Why did his wife think that I needed a tract?” (I was offended) They’d be surprised to know that I am a minister of the Gospel (I was in pride) Was it because I looked ragged? (I had no makeup on, and was dressed in my most raggedy/comfortable kind of clothing). “Or, was it because I’m black and they have a prejudice or racist view of blacks?” (This was an obviously predominantly white area) “Did I say something foul while shopping? (I was sure that I had not) “Or, did my countenance look mean, sad, or un-Christian like? (whatever that means- but countenance could be an issue)

Once getting in the car, I relayed the incident to Arthur and began to ask those questions of him and the boys. “Why do you think they thought I needed a tract?” They attempted to console me letting me know that they thought that I was a “good person” with Arthur saying that maybe the Holy Spirit just wanted them to give it to me perhaps to meditate on one of the Scriptures and not to think anything more of it or anything negative about it. After our short fishing trip and once home, I asked my daughter (Vickie) the same question. She responded by saying that it is probably just a confirmation to me about the fruit of the Spirit since it is something I emphasize (I gave detailed information about the fruit in my book-African American Family Life, It’s Time To Get It Back).

I am sure by now, you are probably saying to yourself something like, “Why so sensitive-do you have a fruit problem?” Or, why didn’t you just pray and ask God if there was something to it?” Or, forget about it, the young couple were just evangelizing! I did finally let it go, but to the Lord, asking Him about it. Did God answer? Not directly. But for the next few days the Holy Spirit made me more sensitive to when I was not walking in the fruit in my interactions with others or in my thought life. I found myself repenting for attitudes, behaviors, words or thoughts that do not reflect God’s Spirit. Because God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is holy. And, His Spirit lives in me to help me (and us who believe and have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) to be holy. That is, to walk out the fruit of His Spirit on a daily basis.

So, for whatever reason the couple chose to give me the tract, God used it for my good! Complacency comes to all of us, especially when you are one walking with the Lord for a number of years and used of the Lord over a period of time. Though I spend my time counseling others by the Word and praying them through their issues, I am reminded by this incident that I have to, on a throughout the day basis, allow the Holy Spirit to flow in and through me, because I can, like many of you, just know what to do and how to do it. Or, can allow the Holy Spirit to flow on the behalf of others (for ministry purposes) but not allow the work of the Spirit to get to my own issues or life challenges therefore cutting off the fruit and the flow of the Spirit in my own life.

So, “Got Fruit?” I will be more sensitive to the Spirit as I live out my days because it is the fruit of the Spirit of God empowered by the Holy Spirit that is Jesus in earthen vessels doing the “greater works” that Jesus said we would do. (John 14:12) I hope that my experience will help you to be more willing to accept correction from the Holy Spirit and make needed changes so we all can live and walk as lifestyle evangelists that cause others to want to know “the hope that is within us”(I Peter 3:15) and bring much glory to God!

See the tract at: http://www.gospeltract.org/christiantest.html