The Fruit of the Spirit

Tuesday nights I go to ballet class. my ballet classes meet in a church. Our dressing room is in the Sunday school area, and the focus lesson of their children's Sunday school classes is the fruit of the spirit.

when i was little one VBS (vacation bible school) that i was a part of was based on the fruit of the spirit, and the thing about VBS songs is that they are forever carved inthe deep recesses of my brain.

So after class I look at the funny little cartoonish representations of the fruit of the spirit and start singing..."the fruit of the spirit shows God's love in your. a seed of love is planted and grows and the spirit shines through.... but you gotta have love, joy peace patients kindness for this is the fruit of the spirit it, you gotta have goodness, gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-control for this is the fruit of the spirit."

this song soon gives way to this one... "Love is part of the fruit of God's spirit, Love is proof that God lives in me, Love is one of the ways I am like him, Love is part of God's plan for me. God's love in me grows like a tree, I want everyone to see God's love in me. Joy is part of the fruit of God's spirit, Peace is proof that God lives in me, patients is one of the ways i am like him, Kindness is part of God's plan for me. God's love in me Grows like a tree, I want everyone to see God's love in me. Goodness is part of the fruit  of God's spirit, Gentleness is Proof that God lives in me, Faithfulness is one of the ways I am like him, Self -control is part of God's plan for me. God's love in me Grows like a tree  I want ever one to see God's love in me."

Last night as I was waiting for Lisa (because she is my ride, but she is in the ballet performance for Christmas) I was thinking about these songs. And why I liked them then and why I like them now.  thought about VBS and how much I learned about God during those weeks of never ending fun. I mean I went straight from being a participant to being a leader. (seriously the it has only been sense coming to Kentucky that i have not been involved with a  VBS.)

But any way particularly the second song is saying some interesting things. Now there could have been 9 verses long and done what the writer did for Love for each of the fruit of the Spirit. I particularly like the lines, X is proof that God lives in me, and X is one of the ways I am like him. because I tend to focus on all the ways I fail. all the ways I miss the mark. I remind myself for ever little thing that i do wrong, a miss spoken word, a hateful look, when i am mean, or impatient.

however while my failings are important, and are signs that i have not yet reached Sanctification, it is also important to remember that when I am Faithful I am like God, when I show love I am proving that God lives in me. Sometimes we should focus on the times when we are manifesting the fruit of the spirit rather then the times when we don't.