“The fruit of the Spirit is love….” Galatians 5:22
There are more aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, but I think Paul listed love as the first because without it, it’s hard to accomplish the rest, such as joy, peace, forbearance, gentleness, kindness, etc. The Greeks had three words for love. Eros was for physical, passionate love. Philia was for brotherly love, the “love thy neighbor as thyself” kind that respects human dignity.
But the third is agape. That is the love of God that the Holy Spirit instills in every believer. That is the fruit of the Spirit’s aspect Paul speaks about. I saw a social media post that said love isn’t shaped as a heart, but as a cross. How very true. Because only with agape can the other two forms of love line up. We need the vertical post to balance the two ends of the horizontal one.
Agape isn’t an emotion. It is an action. But it is not one we can successfully do on our own. And we need the Holy Spirit inside of us to make it work correctly the way a mechanic keeps all the parts of a car’s engine running. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that without agape love, he was nothing more than a loud noise. And above all else, love was the greatest gift of all (I Corinthians 13).
If you find it hard to love, you are not alone. That is why the Holy Spirit is there. Tap into his wisdom today in prayer.
Come Holy Spirit, and dwell in me today. Tune my heart, mind, and soul to the agape the Father has for me and all his creation. Let me exemplify the agape Jesus portrayed on earth and on the cross. I can’t do it alone. I need you in my life. Amen.
By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission
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