"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
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;" - Col. 3:12
The fruit of the "Spirit" or the mission of the Holy Ghost is to help us attain God-like qualities. We are to wear these qualities as attire befitting royalty. We have been commanded to merciful, kind, gentle, meek and longsuffering. We should practice patience, humbleness and tolerance.
When we begin to develop these God-like qualities we develop our unique individual personalities. The fruit of the Spirit is indeed characteristics of Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. However, we exhibit them in our own unique personalities. Whether we are like bananas with sensitivie skin protecting any easy-to-bruise interior or the coconut with a hard-as-a-rock exterior covering seet meat within, when we are alive in the Spirit, Heavenly Father's nature is exhibited through the person he has made us to be.
As a mother I need to teach my children how to put on the holy and beloved characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulnees, gentleness and self-control. My words aren't enough. I need to pattern my life after the Savior and teach through example.
My fruit basket will be full as will my joy.
